Rating: 
Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Diet canned dog food receives the Advisor’s above-average rating of 4 stars.
The Wellness Limited Ingredient Diet product line includes four canned dog foods, each claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.
The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review.
According to the company, Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Diet is formulated “for dogs with food sensitivities or food allergies”.1
The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review.
- Wellness Simple Duck and Oatmeal
- Wellness Simple Lamb and Oatmeal
- Wellness Simple Turkey and Potato (Grain Free)
- Wellness Simple Salmon and Potato (Grain Free)
Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Diet Turkey and Potato canned dog food was selected to represent the other products in the line for this review.
Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Diet Turkey and Potato
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Turkey, turkey broth, potatoes, carrageenan, guar gum, ground flaxseed, potassium chloride, chicory root extract, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, cobalt proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, vitamin A supplement, potassium iodide, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, riboflavin supplement
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.5%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 8% | 7% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 36% | 32% | 24% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 27% | 56% | 17% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is turkey. Turkey is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of turkey”.2
Turkey is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is turkey broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food they are a common addition component in many canned products.
The third ingredient is 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 fourth ingredient is carrageenan, a gelatin-like thickening agent extracted from seaweed. Although carrageenan has been used as a food additive for hundreds of years, there does appear to be some recent controversy regarding its long term biological safety.
The fifth 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 affect the overall rating of this product.
With three notable exceptions…
First, we note the inclusion of 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.
Next, chicory root is naturally rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
And lastly, this food also 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.
Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Diet Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Diet looks to be an above-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 36%, a fat level of 32% and estimated carbohydrates of about 24%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 36% and a mean fat level of 31%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 25% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 84%.
Below-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical canned dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a canned product containing a moderate amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Diet is a meat-based canned product using a moderate amount of duck, turkey, salmon or lamb as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.
Highly recommended.
Those desiring a lower fat content for their pet’s diet may wish to look elsewhere for a another product.
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.
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Notes and Updates
11/21/2009 Original review
06/17/2010 Review updated
05/11/2012 Last Update
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