Rating: 
Natural Balance Eatables Canned Dog Food earns the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.
Currently, the Natural Balance Eatables line includes four canned varieties… each “homestyle” product designed to feed dogs of all life stages… puppy through adult.
- Natural Balance Eatables Irish Stew
- Natural Balance Eatables Hobo Chili
- Natural Balance Eatables Chinese Take-Out with Sauce
- Natural Balance Eatables Southern Style Dumplin’s with Gravy
Natural Balance Eatables Irish Stew was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Natural Balance Eatables Irish Stew
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Water, beef, potatoes, carrots, tomato paste, potato starch, dicalcium phosphate, salt, dehydrated celery, potassium chloride, minerals (calcium carbonate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, zinc amino acid chelate, zinc oxide, cupric sulfate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, potassium iodide, sodium selenite), vitamins [choline bitartrate, vitamin E supplement (di-alpha tocopherol acetate), vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin (vitamin B2), folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, pepper, caramel color
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5.6%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is water… which (of course) adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a normal finding in most canned dog foods.
The second ingredient is beef. Beef is defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered cattle” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.1
Like most meats, beef is naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life. A quality meat ingredient.
The third ingredient includes potatoes. Assuming they are whole, potatoes are a good source of digestible carbohydrates and other healthy nutrients.
The fourth item lists carrots. Carrots are loaded with vitamins and fiber. A healthy ingredient.
The fifth ingredient is tomato paste. Tomato paste is a thickened mash made from fresh tomatoes after the seeds and skin have been removed.
The next ingredient is potato starch. Potato starch is a gluten-free carbohydrate used more for its thickening properties than any nutritional value.
This dog food contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to proteins. This process can make them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better quality dog foods.
Natural Balance Eatables… the Bottom Line
Natural Balance Eatables is a typical stew-and-gravy type of canned dog food. On the surface, the product looks fairly appetizing. And the major ingredients appear to be of relatively good quality.
But what about meat content? How much meat-based protein does this dog food actually contain?
To get a reasonable idea, let’s check the nutrient gauges.
The dashboard reports a dry matter protein reading of 28%, a fat level of 11% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 53%.
The nutrient profile creates the impression that meat content is about average compared to other canned dog food products.
For that reason, Natural Balance Eatables Canned Dog Food earns an acceptable rating of three stars.
Recommended.
Some Final Thoughts
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult your veterinarian for help.
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- American Association of Feed Control Officials ↩
