Rating: 
Natural Planet Organics dog food gets the Advisor’s second-highest rating of 4 stars.
Natural Planet Organics includes just one dry dog food… designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
Natural Planet Organics Adult Formula
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Organic chicken, chicken meal, organic brown rice, organic oats, organic barley, natural flavors, organic flaxseed, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), calcium carbonate, organic sunflower oil, potassium chloride, tomato pomace, brewers yeast, salt, proteinated minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, cobalt proteinate, manganese proteinate, selenium yeast), blueberries, choline chloride, organic alfalfa, organic peas, organic sunflower seeds, organic pumpkin seeds, organic carrots, organic broccoli, yeast culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Aspergillus niger, Bacillus subtillis), vitamins (vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), chicory extract, lecithin, taurine, preserved with mixed tocopherols, sage, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), yucca schidigera extract, garlic, calcium iodate, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first item in this dog food is organic chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
Which brings us to chicken meal… the second and (most likely) the dominant meat ingredient in this dog food.
Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The next three ingredients include a series of nutrient-rich organic grains.
The third item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The fourth ingredient includes oats. Oats are rich in B-vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
The fifth ingredient lists barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index (like rice), barley can help support stable blood sugar levels in dogs.
After the natural flavors, we find organic flaxseed… one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
The seventh ingredient lists 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 high in linoleic acid… an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Though it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is a quality ingredient.
Tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient… a by-product left after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content… while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.
Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.
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 four notable exceptions…
First, 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.1
Most of the literature we surveyed offered no conclusive evidence against the use of garlic… especially in small amounts (as it is here).
Next, brewers dried yeast. Brewers yeast can be 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.
Thirdly, the manufacturer appears to have applied friendly bacteria to the surface of the kibble after cooking. These special probiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.
And lastly, we also note this 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.
Natural Planet Organics Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Since Natural Planet Organics contains a notable number of quality organic ingredients, we feel obliged to grant the product favored status when determining a final rating.
That’s because organic ingredients are produced under remarkably strict government standards… standards which greatly restrict the use of any synthetic pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, hormones or antibiotics.
Just the same, we still need to evaluate the product’s protein, fat and carbohydrate content.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 26%, a fat level of 16% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 51%.
Below-average protein. Average fat. And average carbohydrates when compared to a typical dry dog food.
With no sign of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing only a moderate amount of meat.
In any case, the unusual quality nature of the raw materials used to make this kibble prompts us to upgrade the product to a higher category.
Bottom line?
Natural Planet Organics is a grain-based organic kibble utilizing a modest amount of chicken meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
Some Final Thoughts
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 a specific health benefit 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 your veterinarian for help.
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Notes and Updates
03/20/2010 Original review
10/20/2010 Review updated
- 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) ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.