Rating: 
Newman’s Own Organics Grain Free Dog Food earns the Advisor’s highest rating of five stars.
The Newman’s Own Organics Grain Free product line includes three canned dog foods. Since we could not locate AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these products on the Newman’s Own website, we’re unable to report life stage recommendations.
- Newman’s Own Organics Grain Free Beef
- Newman’s Own Organics Grain Free Liver
- Newman’s Own Organics Grain Free Beef and Liver
The company also offers a “with grain” product… Newman’s Own Organics Canned Dog Food which we cover in a separate review.
Newman’s Own Organics Grain Free Beef Dog Food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Newman's Own Organics Grain Free Beef and Liver
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Organic beef, organic beef liver, organic beef broth, minerals (calcium carbonate, zinc proteinate, iron carbonate, copper proteinate, manganese iodate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite,), vitamins (vitamin A, E, D3 and B12 supplements, choline, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, thiamin, pyridoxine, folic acid)
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5.6%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient listed in this dog food mentions organic 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
Beef is naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is organic beef liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal. So long as it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, beef liver is a beneficial component.
The third ingredient is organic beef broth. Broths are nutritionally worthless. But because they add needed moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.
Finally, this food also contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to amino acids. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are generally found in better dog foods.
Newman’s Own Organics Grain Free Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Based on its ingredients alone, Newman’s Own Organics Grain Free to be a top quality canned dog food.
Because the company claims these products are 95% organic, the brand must be given special consideration.
That’s because organic ingredients are by law produced under strict government standards… standards which greatly restrict the use of any pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, hormones or antibiotics.
Just the same, ingredient quality alone does not tell the whole story. It’s still important to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 56%, a fat level of 17% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 20%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 62% and an average fat level of 19%. Together, these figures suggest an overall carbohydrate content of 11% for the full product line.
High protein. Below-average fat. And very low carbohydrates… as compared to a typical canned dog food.
With no evidence of any plant-based protein concentrates, this is the profile of a wet food containing an abundance of meat.
Impressive figures for the entire product line… with nutrient content for all the recipes actually approaching the ratios of a dog’s natural ancestral diet.
Bottom line?
Newman’s Own Organics Grain Free is a meat-based canned dog food using an abundance of organic beef and beef liver as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand five stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Those looking for a nice kibble from the same company may wish to check out our review of Newman’s Own Organics Dry 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 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 a veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food brand… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
07/04/2010 Original review
10/19/2010 Review updated
- Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.