Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets (Canned)

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Rating: ★★★☆☆

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets canned dog food receives the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of 3 stars.

The Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets product line includes eight canned dog foods, each claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.

The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review.

  • Natural Balance L.I.D. Duck and Potato
  • Natural Balance L.I.D. Lamb and Brown Rice
  • Natural Balance L.I.D. Fish and Sweet Potato
  • Natural Balance L.I.D. Rabbit and Brown Rice
  • Natural Balance L.I.D. Bison and Sweet Potato
  • Natural Balance L.I.D. Wild Boar and Brown Rice
  • Natural Balance L.I.D. Chicken and Sweet Potato
  • Natural Balance L.I.D. Venison and Sweet Potato

Natural Balance L.I.D. Fish and Sweet Potato canned dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

Natural Balance L.I.D. Fish and Sweet Potato

Canned Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 32% | Fat = 18% | Carbs = 42%

Ingredients: Fish broth, ocean white fish, sweet potatoes, salmon, potatoes, salmon meal, canola oil, salmon oil, guar gum, sodium chloride, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, choline chloride, carrageenan, Yucca schidigera extract, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), sodium selenite, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin A supplement, calcium iodate, riboflavin, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B-12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 6.8%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

Estimated Nutrient Content
MethodProteinFatCarbs
Guaranteed Analysis7%4%NA
Dry Matter Basis32%18%42%
Calorie Weighted Basis27%38%36%

The first ingredient in this dog food includes fish broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.

The second ingredient lists ocean white fish. Whitefish is a high protein marine or freshwater species native to Canada and the California coast.

The third ingredient is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in a dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.

The fourth ingredient lists salmon. Salmon is a fatty marine and freshwater fish not only high in protein but also omega 3 fatty acids, essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.

The fifth ingredient lists potato. Potatoes can be considered a gluten-free source of digestible carbohydrates. Yet with the exception of perhaps their caloric content, potatoes are of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The sixth ingredient is salmon meal. Salmon meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh salmon.

What’s more, we’re pleased to report that, unlike many other fish meals, this particular item1 appears to be ethoxyquin-free.

The seventh ingredient is canola oil. Many applaud canola for its favorable omega-3 content while a vocal minority condemn it as an unhealthy fat.

Much of the objection regarding canola oil appears to be related to the use of genetically modified rapeseed as its raw material source.

Current thinking (ours included) finds the negative stories about canola oil more the stuff of urban legend than actual science.2

In any case, plant-based oils like canola are less biologically available to a dog than fish oil as a source of quality omega-3 fats.

The salmon oil listed here is naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids, essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life. This is a welcome addition.

The ninth ingredient is guar gum, a gelling or thickening agent found in many wet pet foods. Refined from dehusked guar beans, guar gum can add a notable amount of dietary fiber to any product.

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 notable exception

We find the minerals 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 Limited Ingredient Diet
The Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients alone, Natural Balance Limited Ingredients Diet looks to be an average canned dog food.

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 32%, a fat level of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 42%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 29% and a mean fat level of 21%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 42% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 72%.

Below-average protein. Near-average fat. And above-average carbs as compared to a typical canned dog food.

Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a canned food containing a below-average amount of meat.

Even with its grain-free formula and an absence of critical Red Flag items, it’s still difficult to overlook what appears to be a generally lower meat content — especially the duck, chicken and rabbit recipes.

Bottom line?

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets is a grain-free canned dog food using a moderate amount of assorted meats as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 3 stars.

Recommended.

Those looking for a comparable kibble from the same brand may wish to check out our review of Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diet dry dog food.

Special Alert

Rice ingredients can sometimes contain arsenic. Until the US FDA establishes safe upper levels for arsenic content, pet owners may wish to limit the total amount of rice fed in a dog's daily diet.

A Final Word

The descriptions and analyses expressed in this and every article on this website represent the views and opinions of the author.

Although it's our goal to ensure all the information on this website is correct, we cannot guarantee its completeness or its accuracy; nor can we commit to ensuring all the material is kept up-to-date on a daily basis.

Each review is offered in good faith and has been 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 analyze each product, please 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 qualified veterinary professional for help.

In closing, we do not accept money, gifts or samples from pet food companies in exchange for special consideration in the preparation of our reviews or ratings.

To learn how we support the cost of operating this website, please visit our public Disclosure and Disclaimer page.

Have an opinion about this dog food? Or maybe the review itself? Please know we welcome your comments.

Notes and Updates

01/11/2010 Original review
08/17/2010 Review updated
03/17/2012 Last update
03/17/2012 Last Update

  1. Natural Balance Customer Service, 8/17/2010
  2. Mikkelson, B and DP, Oil of Ole, Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005)
  • Pattyvaughn

    From everything I’ve read, Thailand has stricter food laws than ours. It’s not China.

  • http://www.facebook.com/LOVE4GENEVA Nancyelizabeth Green

    I Have been using natural balance gourmet stew in gravy for my diabetic dog.just found out it is from THAILAND!
    had my vet check with their buyer: definitely asIan product! Many of their foods do not disclose country of origin! Buyer beware!

  • sandy

    That recipe was for weight gain snack.  Couldn’t edit.  I haven’t used it myself as I usually have to put dogs on a diet.

  • sandy

    This was posted by others on another site: 

    Mid day snack of: heaping tablespoon of nut butter (or almond butter here), half a banana, 1/2 – 1 t. coconut oil, and some water for one serving. I mash it all together though that may not be necessary. If you don’t want the nut-based butters, then sunflower butter might be an alternative.

  • M Ward1993

    Kirkland is good :)

  • Snoopy

    Provide your German Shepherd a long and healthy life. Follow this German Shepherd Nutrition Diet rules and your dog will be happier than ever!
    http://german-shepherd-diet.blogspot.com
     

  • LabsRawesome

     Hi Debra, My 2 love Kirkland Cuts in Gravy. It is all life stages, grain free, 5 star canned food. It’s a Costco exclusive. It’s like $18.69 for a case of 24 cans.

  • M Ward1993

    just give him enough to gain weight and you should be fine :) the canned food has 25% dry protein, which is good.

  • Debramarieo

    hello,
    Can you tell me the most effective canned food for a puppy that needs to gain weight???
    I have a puppy-(approx 1 1/2 years) who has megaesophogus.  He can only eat canned food because of the consistency.  I have been giving him the Natural Balance Sweet potato and venision-limited ingredient.  He loves this but wondering if I should be feeding him a different canned food which has more protein and carbs.   (however, do not want to produce too much acid in the stomach).

    Any suggestions is appreciated.  I will give them a try.  Thanks, Debra

  • http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

    Yes.  Canned foods are better than kibble in the way that they are not as processed and they are high in moisture.  But you still need to investigate which canned foods to feed since they range from poor quality ingredients to good quality ingredients just like kibbles.  Check the can for an AAFCO statement for growth or maintenance/adult or all life stages, not just for supplemental feeding.  This is the same statement found on bags of kibble.

  • M Ward1993

    is it ok to feed a pitbull only canned food because thats all mine will eat.

  • Barbarasmith7165

    Yes, I do know about the vitamins thanks!  Right now I want to limit my exposure to China’s ingredients and not source any more than I have to from there.  At least I can get the food sourced in the USA even if the vits are not all from here. Thank you!

  • slinep

    It is from Canada…but I did not ask re ingredients. THat is a good question. Dogs do great on it…and I know alot of people do not like Science Diet but my one little girl with irritable bowel does great with SD venison potato and also the Royal Canin. I just become suspicious when a company does not proudly tell you where their food is made! Sent with Verizon Mobile Email

  • Addie

    Just a heads up, a lot of companies that don’t use food ingredients from China do receive their vitamins from there. I don’t know if that’s also a concern of yours, but thought I would just give you a warning in case you didn’t know. I’ve heard people say Wellness does use Chinese vitamins, but can’t verify it for fact because I’ve never personally researched it. 

  • Barbarasmith7165

    The NB food is all made in the USA, but they do not reveal where their source of ingredients is thus I deduce it is an undesirable place like china.  They will not tell you if the food is china free or not so it’s prob not.

  • Barbarasmith7165

    Does Royal Canin tell you that they don’t source from China?  Thank you for your information on this food!

  • slinep

    Thank you. I quit buying when I could not truly get an answer as to where…then my dog had real loose stool…and finally I found what looked like aluminum foil in one can…I just threw it all away and pay more but feed him Royal Canin venison potato now Sent with Verizon Mobile Email

  • Barbarasmith7165

    Just because there is no law against it, they could still reveal that there food is China free if they chose.  Wellness, and Addiction have both told me that they don’t use food sourced in China, thus I will be changing foods.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com/ Mike Sagman

    Hi Barbarasmith7165,

    There is no law requiring pet or human food manufacturers to state from where they get their ingredients. They’re only required to state where the product was actually made.

    These days, most pet food companies get at least some of their ingredients from outside the US.

    You may wish to read my article, “Think Your Dog’s Food Is 100% China Free? Don’t Count On It“.

    Hope this helps.

  • Barbarasmith7165

    The company does not tell you where is sources it’s main ingredients from, which leads me to believe they come from China.  Otherwise why would they not say they are NOT sourced in China?  This is a MAJOR concern to me, even though they test their food.  They couldn’t possibly test for everything, and I don’t want food with sweet potatoes from CHINA!!!!!!!!!

  • Barbarasmith7165

    But, do you know where the ingredients come from?  They will not say it’s NOT china, so it probably is from China.

  • Barbarasmith7165

    Yeah and they won’t tell you that their foods is NOT sourced in China either, which leads me to believe it is!

  • Barbarasmith7165

    Aren’t you concerned about where the food comes from too?  They will not say it is not sourced from China which leads me to believe it is.

  • Barbarasmith7165

    It is made in the USA but they will not say that ther foods are NOT sourced in China, leading me to believer that the ingredients ARE from CHINA.  I am switching foods due to this problem.  China is unsafe to me.  I don’t care if they test or not.  They can’t test for everything.

  • Barbarasmith7165

    Yes, and we don’t know where Natural Balance sources their ingredients and we don’t know that they don’t come from CHINA.  If they would just say their foods were not sourced in China, I would be happy but they won’t, thus I guess their ingredients ARE  probably sourced from China.

  • Barbarasmith7165

    Did you know that Natural Balance will NOT tell you that they do NOT source from China?  This leads me to believe that they probably do source from China.  This is disturbing to me.

  • CatahoulaShep

    There was some talk about the making of the NB products. I found an interesting video by NB talking about the extensive testing that they do which I believe is far more than many pet food companies take the time for. With recent call-back of contaminated pet foods this should be a concern to all loving pet owners. Some may not know that usually a lab like NB makes or obtains the components, then they do rigorous testing for pathogens, do some pre-compounding, then ship components to a mfg facility for mixture and cooking or other preparation. 
    http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/BWC-Search.aspx  I dont know where their mfg plant is, but it would not make logistic sense to ship these components to China only to be shipped back here.

  • Taytay54

    We just tried the new wild boar & rice L.I.D. cans on our dog who can’t digest potatoes and chicken (among other things) and he did great on it.  No allergic reaction and he cleaned his bowl, so we’re going to add this to his diet.  Natural Balance is our favorite brand and we’ve been using their various products for our dogs and cats for years.  I wasn’t sure if he’d like the wild boar taste but apparently it tastes great to him!

  • maxmabi

    I am in the process of finding something “just right” for my kids. I am coming to the conclusion that it is going to have to be a can food, as my two Cockers have stopped eating anything dry! I am OK with that, except one of them is needing more fiber, and there doesn’t seem to be much fiber in canned food. We had the LID Wild Boar & Brown Rice yesterday, and they liked it. However, I think they will like most anything from a can or from my plate. :)

    Any suggestions for additional fiber?
    Thanks.
    M&M’s Mom!

  • Marie

    Dog Food Advisor only rates foods by the ingredient quality and by protein, fat, and carbohydrate content, not where it is made.

  • slinep

    Great great yes yes yes…but where the heck is it MADE??  All I see is ingredients and MADE FOR:  nothing about WHERE it is manufactured…I assume a nice facility who follows all the standards some place in China? I would like to buy it but why do you not say where you make it and be really proud…IF you make it someplace in the USA?? Anyone know??

  • RacerDawg33

    Fastwhippets, I saw those new L.I.D. cans on the Natural Balance website too.   Have you tried them yet?  My dog eats the Lamb & Brown Rice cans because he can’t have any potatoes so I’m excited to try these out and give my little guy some variety.  

  • Shawna

    Hi fastwhippets ~~ hope all is well with you!!

    We had a really interesting conversation on Sunday afternoon on the Taste of the Wild thread.  We were discussing the lectins in potatoes (and grains like rice) that can cause leaky gut, kidney damage, arthritis, and autoimmune diseases.. 

    I wouldn’t have recommended grains before because of the phytates and enzyme inhibitors but especially not after that discussion (and a few prior discussions)…

  • sandy

    I didn’t see it on their site yet?  Do you know where the rabbit comes from?

  • fastwhippets

    Natural Balance Pet Foods has introduced two canned dog food formulas to its L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets line. The cans will be available in both Rabbit & Brown Rice Formula and Wild Boar & Brown Rice. The formulas are high in protein and are extremely palatable. Brown rice is a grain carbohydrate with the nutrient-rich bran portion intact. The formulas are available in 13-oz. cans.
     www.naturalbalanceinc.com

  • ann

    Thanks for pointing out the higher protein content in the LID Bison. Can you tell me what the carb content is? (BTW, this website has been a huge help as I’ve been adjusting my dog’s diet to high-protein, low-carb after his recent cancer diagnosis. The challenge is getting him to go low-carb. I’ve been able to entice him to eat Blue Buffalo Wilderness by topping it off with some of his old favorite, Natural Balance Bison.) Thanks for your help!

  • Guest

    Benji is on the Duck & Potato after trying many different brands because of his allergies – he can’t do chicken.  Since he is 12 and missing some teeth we mix the canned with the L.I.D. dry and this makes it easy for him to get the meals he needs.  This food helped his skin so much – rashes are gone and he doesn’t lick his paws now – and he seems to really like the taste.  Digestion also seems good – we can’t complain. 

  • Anonymous

    Benji is on the Duck & Potato after trying many different brands because of his allergies – he can’t do chicken.  Since he is 12 and missing some teeth we mix the canned with the L.I.D. dry and this makes it easy for him to get the meals he needs.  This food helped his skin so much – rashes are gone and he doesn’t lick his paws now – and he seems to really like the taste.  Digestion also seems good – we can’t complain. 

  • meridith

    Thank you I will check that section. I know you cant make a choice for me, but you can say you strongly suggest I look at the other brand vs. the one I am on? No names mentioned!

    Can you tell me what happend to your cute little white dog in the picture? He is so sweet. Can you tell me?

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Meridith… Merrick makes an excellent dog food certified as low glycemic (ideal for a diabetic dog) by the Glycemic Research Institute of Washington, DC.

    Unfortunately, since I’m not a veterinarian and due to the biological uniqueness of each pet, it would be inappropriate for me to provide specific health advice or product recommendations.

    In any case, you may wish to visit my FAQ page and look for the topic, “Diabetic Dog Food”. Hope this helps.

  • meridith

    My 13 year ols Silky terrier is a diabetic. We have been feeding Natural Balance Limited Ingredients wet. Fish, venison, duck. And Dry venison. He also has alllergies. I am concerned beacuse his diabetes is not under control and are glucose levels are all ocer the place (curves). I am strongly thinking it can be the food! (The vet wants him on Science diet W/D or R/D, for fiber) Those foods are crap. But the R/D does firlm his stools and aids in digestion (he has colitis too!)
    So, We were thinking of switching him to Merrick Before grain.
    What do you think? Is home cooking (chicken breast, brocloi, brown rice) mixed with dry better? Vet is useless when it comes to nutrition. Thanks! We need help.
    Meri

  • Korie Avery

    BTW: Pet owners may want to contact their canned food manufacturers and ask whether the cans they use for the dog or cat food are BPA-free! I subscribe to another website that has investigated this issue with many pet food manufacturers and Natural Balance uses cans for their dog food (13 oz cans) that DO contain BPA in the lining of the can. NB says they are looking into transitioning to BPA-free cans.

  • JudyD

    About to finish the second 28# bags of Natural Balance LID Fish & Sweet Potato. But my Yorkies have hardened tears, not gunky but dried out and hard. One has some redness on paws…NEVER had that before. I thought this was THE FOOD! Starting over again!

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Sharon… Due to the continually changing product formulas, I don’t track caloric data. Please visit the Natural Balance website for that information. Or call the company’s customer service department. Wish I could be more help.

  • Sharon Pierce

    Could you please tell me the calories per can in
    Natural Balance LID Fish & Sweet Potato and also
    Natural Balance LID Chick & Sweet Potato.
    Thank you.

  • melanie

    I have two small yorkies who kept putting on weight with the other foods we’d try and their hair was tangling and matting. After switching to NB LID sweet potato and fish, the weight started coming off, allergy problems went away, and their hair is incredible. No matting and their groomer asked if I was using mink oil on their hair, and that was only after three weeks with the new food. I’ve used the dry, free feed and now I use a small teaspoon daily for each. They love it!

  • Shihtzu lover

    The NB fish & sweet potato formula is working great for my little guy. I had him on the wellness brand formula of venison/sweet potato but after figuring out that hes allergic to beef, chicken, turkey, corn, soy, wheat..it seems he cant eat deer meat either. I think fish is the way to go for all you guys who have dogs that are suffering from allergies. So far so good! :)

  • joanne

    has anyone had a problem with the natural smoke flavor added to the canned potato and duck.

  • erin c.

    3Dogs

    Maybe your dogs can’t eat Venison.
    Have you tried a different protein/meat?

  • Jonathan

    Jan, you could try the NB Lamb and Rice and see if the smell goes away. Or the Potato and Duck which also contains no Sweet potato. Just regular potatoes.

    Good luck, and let us know the results from what ever you end up doing!

  • jan gillespie

    I started my Westie on Natural Balance chicken and sweet potato about a month ago. Her skin seems better and she eats it well. The REAL problem is a nasty odor she has had since beginning the food. I was determined to live with it if her skin issues got better. I bathe her 1 to 2 times a week. The smell comes back within about 12 hours. The smell is just too much to handle. Does anyone know if it is from the sweet potato? I will have to change foods and don’t know what to buy.

  • Jamie

    Regarding Natural Balance – Limited Ingredients/Diet – Chicken and Sweet Potato. I saw that they recalled the dry formula – but they also need to recall the canned as well. We’ve brought back several cans to our pet store due to slightly swollen tops of the cans and upon opening, the escape of air and bubbles. The store looked at the run these were from (all numbered 9:50+ printed on the bottom of their cans), and removed them ALL from their shelves. I contacted Natural Balance, and they were not concerned other than to try and replace our cans. I’d rather they looked into this and find out what’s happening – but they’ve not responded to that request. Just thought I’d give everyone a “heads up”.

  • Charlene

    Started using Natural Balance venison. Seems to be too strong a protein for my yorkie (who has environmental & food allergies). She started scratching a lot again. Today we are gradually introducing NB Chicken & Sweet Potato (canned) to see if that works better. I am switching her from EVO turkey & chicken becaue of the Proctor & Gamble buy out. What to do, what to do.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi 3Dogs… I’m so sorry to hear about your dogs’ problems. Unfortunately, you have asked a question I don’t feel qualified to answer. Like with us humans, each dog responds to a particular food (or an ingredient) in its own unique way. And many times, the signs and symptoms you see are not even related to the food in the first place. So, it would be impossible for me (or anyone) to assure you feeding a specific product would eliminate your dogs’ allergies or provide the results you’re looking for.

    Salmonella is a completely different issue. I am not aware of any recalls regarding the foods you mention being infected with Salmonella bacteria. Only certain bathes of BB Wilderness have been recalled due to excessive vitamin D. Hope this helps.

  • 3Dogs

    11/4/2010
    Trying Limited Ingredient Natural Balance Venison & Sweet Potatoe… with 3 yo male (neutered)Yorkie, 5 yo male (neutered) Havanese and ‘mutt’… Both the Yorkie and Havanese are showing signs of allergies… Yorkie has sores on tummy and back and Havanese has pulled lots of hair out of his tail and is scratching a lot. I cannot believe this! The foods that worked well for them (Blue Wilderness and Eukenuba Venison) were pulled from the market! The Vet’s $5.00 per pound version of Limited Ingredient Venison (Royal Cairn) also gave these two dogs problems. What are they putting in the dog food? Is this related to salmonella also?
    I am really at my wit’s end!

  • Wendy

    Natural Balance Duck and Potato canned is one of the few mainstream foods I have used with success, mostly in picky pregnant/nursing dogs. When they turn down everything else, they ALWAYS eat this, even if it has to be hand-fed. They keep wonderful weight on, produce lots of milk and become very shiny. This probably speaks of the quality of the ingredients. It is also the one food that can cure seizures in Boston Terriers when seizures are food related (and many are). I have recommended it to many Boston terrier owners and their dog’s seizures stopped after feeding this – and ONLY this as their sole diet. Some have used the duck and potato dry with similarly good results, but i tell them to use canned if possible.