Rating: 
Lotus canned dog food receives the Advisor’s highest rating of five stars.
The Lotus product line includes three canned dog foods… each claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
- Lotus Turkey Stew
- Lotus Beef and Asparagus Stew
- Lotus Chicken and Asparagus Stew
Lotus Chicken and Asparagus Stew Dog Food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Lotus Chicken and Asparagus Stew
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, asparagus, long grain brown rice, baby carrots, oil blend of olive, soybean, salmon and primrose, fresh blueberries, fresh cranberries, new zealand green mussels, whole eggs, norwegian dried kelp, ground flaxseed, vitamins: (vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, ascorbic acid source of vitamin C, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, biotin, folic acid,) minerals: (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, calcium iodate, and sodium selenite)
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 8.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food includes chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1
Chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient lists chicken broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add both taste and moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.
The third ingredient is chicken liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal. So long as it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, chicken liver is a beneficial component.
The fourth ingredient is asparagus. Asparagus is especially rich in B-vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
The fifth item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The sixth item lists carrots. Carrots are loaded with beta-carotene, minerals and fiber.
The seventh ingredient lists a blend of four oils… soybean oil, olive oil, salmon oil and evening primrose oil.
Salmon oil is naturally rich in animal-based omega-3 fatty acids… essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life. The others are all considered healthy plant-based fats.
However, please note soybean oil is red flagged here only due to its suspected (yet unlikely) link to canine food allergies.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to have much of an effect on the overall rating of this product.
With one exception…
We note this dog food contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Lotus Canned Dog Food… the Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Lotus Dog Food looks to be an above-average wet product.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 44%, a fat level of 22% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 25%.
As a group, all Lotus canned products present the same nutrient profile as our chicken-based example.
Above-average protein. Average fat. And below-average carbs… as compared to a typical canned dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this is the profile of a wet food containing a generous amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Lotus Dog Food is a meat-based wet product using a significant amount of beef or poultry as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand five stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Those looking for a good kibble from the same company may wish to visit our review of Lotus Dry Dog Food.
A Final Word
This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in specific health benefits for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food brand… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
07/10/2010 Original review
01/24/2011 Review updated
- Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.