Rating: 
Natural Balance Dog Food Rolls earns the Advisor’s second-lowest rating of 2 stars.
The Natural Balance product line includes three dog food rolls… each meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.
- Natural Balance Beef Formula Roll
- Natural Balance Lamb Formula Roll
- Natural Balance Turkey Formula Roll
Natural Balance Turkey Formula Roll was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Natural Balance Turkey Formula
Rolled Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Turkey, wheat flour, sugar, wheat bran, turkey liver, salt, rice flour, calcium carbonate, egg, glycerin, lecithin, dicalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, natural smoke flavor, ascorbic acid, natural flavor, powdered garlic, vitamin E supplement, kelp meal, brewers yeast, calcium disodium, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, rosemary extract, canola oil, sodium erythorbate, vitamin a supplement, niacin, calcium pantothenate, sodium nitrite, riboflavin supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, natural mixed tocopherols
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 6.7%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 11% | 6% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 18% | 10% | 64% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 17% | 23% | 60% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is turkey. Turkey is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of turkey”.1
Turkey is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is wheat flour… a highly-refined product of wheat milling containing more than 80% carbohydrates.
Now, contrary to what you may have heard, wheat isn’t necessarily a bad ingredient.
On the other hand, although there’s no way to know for sure here, the wheat used in making many pet foods can be similar to the kind used to make feed for livestock.
And that can sometimes be problematic.
What’s more, wheat is commonly linked to canine food allergies2.
For these reasons, we rarely consider wheat flour a preferred component in any dog food.
The third ingredient includes sugar. Sugar is always an unwelcome addition to any dog food. Because of its high glycemic index, it can unfavorably impact the blood glucose level of any animal soon after it is eaten.
The fourth ingredient is wheat bran. Wheat bran is made from the tough outer layer of a wheat kernel and is especially rich in dietary fiber. Though not as nutritionally complete as whole wheat, brans are abundant in protein, vitamins and minerals.
The fifth ingredient is turkey liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal. So long as it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, turkey liver is a beneficial component.
We also not the inclusion here of rice flour. Rice flour is made from either white or brown rice and is considered a good gluten-free substitute for wheat flour.
Garlic can be a controversial item. Although the majority of experts favor the ingredient for its numerous health benefits, garlic (in rare cases) has been linked to Heinz body anemia in dogs.3
Most of the literature we surveyed offered no conclusive evidence against the use of garlic… especially in small amounts (as it is here).
Brewers yeast is a controversial item. Although it’s a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient contains about 45% protein… and is rich in other healthy nutrients.
Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system.
Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.
What’s more, a vocal minority insist yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is something we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.
In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, we feel yeast should be considered a nutritious addition.
We also notice the use of canola oil in this recipe. Most applaud canola for its favorable omega-3 content… while a vocal minority condemn it as an unhealthy fat.
Current thinking (ours included) finds the negative stories about canola oil more the stuff of urban legend than actual science.4
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 affect the overall rating of this product.
With two notable exceptions…
First, we also note the presence of sodium nitrite… a controversial color preservative. Sodium nitrite has been linked to the production of cancer-causing substances (known as nitrosamines) when meats are exposed to high cooking temperatures.
Though we cannot be certain, we would assume that the cooking temperatures used to make these doughy-type rolls are lower than the processing heat used to make most kibbles.
And lastly, we also note the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Non-chelated minerals are usually associated with lower quality dog foods.
Natural Balance Dog Food Rolls
The Bottom Line
With the exception of its unusual “slice and serve” convenience, the ingredients used to make Natural Balance Dog Food Rolls look to be of fairly average quality.
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 18%, a fat level of 10% and estimated carbohydrates of about 64%.
All the products in the group reveal the exact same nutrient figures as our example recipe.
Low protein. Low fat. And very high carbohydrates when compared to a typical dog food.
With no sign of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a moist product containing only a limited amount of meat.
Like you, we find it difficult to ignore the inclusion of sodium nitrite and the sugar-based sweeteners in these products.
Those wishing to feed a rolled dog food yet concerned about the presence of these substances may wish to look elsewhere for a better product.
Bottom line?
Natural Balance Dog Food Rolls is a wheat-based moist product using only a limited amount of lamb, turkey or beef as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand two stars.
Not recommended.
Those looking for a better rated kibble with more meat may wish to visit our review of Natural Balance Ultra canned 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… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
11/01/2010 Original review
02/11/2011 Lowered rating relative to competing products
11/01/2010 Last Update
- Adapted by the Dog Food Advisor and based upon the official definition for chicken published by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, Official Publication, 2008 Edition ↩
- White, S., Update on food allergy in the dog and cat, World Small Animal Veterinary Association, Vancouver, 2001 ↩
- Yamato et al, Heinz Body hemolytic anemia with eccentrocytosis from ingestion of Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum) and garlic (Allium sativum) in a dog, Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 41:68-73 (2005) ↩
- Mikkelson, B and DP, Oil of Ole, Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005) ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.