Rating: 
Natural Balance Ultra Dog Food (dry formula) receives the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
Currently, the Natural Balance Ultra line includes four dry kibbles… two for all life stages, one for active and working dogs and one for adult weight management.
- Natural Balance Original Ultra Premium Formula
- Natural Balance Ultra Premium Small Breed Bites
- Natural Balance Ultra Reduced Calorie Formula
- Natural Balance Ultra Active Muscle Performance Formula
Natural Balance Original Ultra Premium Formula was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Natural Balance Original Ultra Premium Formula
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken, brown rice, lamb meal, oatmeal, barley, salmon meal, potatoes, carrots, chicken fat (preserved with natural mixed tocopherols), tomato pomace, natural flavor, canola oil, brewers yeast, duck, salmon oil, whole ground flaxseed, potassium chloride, choline chloride, taurine, spinach, parsley flakes, cranberries, l-lysine, l-carnitine, yucca schidigera extract, dried kelp, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B-1), manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B-6), vitamin B-12 supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B-2), vitamin D-3 supplement, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food includes chicken. Raw chicken contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just 20% of its original weight.
That’s what makes uncooked chicken a much smaller contributor to the overall protein content of a dry dog food… than chicken meal.
For the sake of accuracy (and to reflect its lighter weight), chicken should probably occupy a lower position on the list.
The second item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient. It’s a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest. Plus it’s hypoallergenic.
The next two ingredients are oatmeal and barley. Both items are rich in natural fiber, B-vitamins and (unlike many other grains)… completely gluten-free. These are quality ingredients.
The fifth ingredient includes salmon meal. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, fish meal contains notably more protein than even fresh fish.
Unfortunately, the controversial chemical, ethoxyquin, is frequently used as a preservative in many fish meals.
But because it’s usually added to the raw fish before processing, ethoxyquin’s presence does not have to be reported to consumers.
Based upon the published ingredients list, there’s no way to know whether or not ethoxyquin is present in this product.
Next on the list, two healthy vegetables… potatoes and carrots. Potatoes are a good source of digestible carbohydrates and carrots are loaded with nutrients and fiber.
The ninth ingredient mentions chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken… a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is notably high in linoleic acid… an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. A quality ingredient.
Tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient… a by-product left over after the processing of tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content… while others scorn it as a cheap pet food filler laden with pesticides found on the skin of the tomato before processing.
Canola oil is also controversial. Canola oil is better known for its favorable omega-3 content… yet a vocal minority condemn it as an unhealthy fat.
Current thinking finds the negative stories about canola oil more the stuff of urban legend than actual science.1
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 higher-grade dog foods.
Natural Balance Ultra Dog Food… the Bottom Line
This Natural Balance Ultra product boasts the kinds of ingredients found in better quality dry dog foods.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 26%, a fat level of 14% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 52%.
A moderately above-average nutrient profile for a dry dog food… but the caliber of the individual components invite a higher rating.
All four products in the Natural Balance Ultra dry product line share similar ingredient quality… but vary in their proportions.
The Reduced Calorie Formula scales back the protein to a low 18% (dry matter) while the Active Formula boosts the protein to 30%.
All in all, Natural Balance Ultra Dry Dog Food earns a respectable four-stars… making the brand an excellent choice for your pet.
Highly 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.
Have an opinion about this dog food brand… or maybe the review itself?
Please feel free to share your comments below.
- Mikkelson, B and DP, Oil of Ole, Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005), retrieved 12/05/2009 ↩
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
In my experience Veterinarians know nothing about food. Most of the vets in my area push Science Diet and that is awful food.
I have found if you have a specialty dog store more of the representative in the stores know much more about the food than your local vet.
Got a sample packet of this food and it had weevils in it..yuck! Larvae and all!