Earthborn Holistic Venture Limited Ingredient Diets Dog Food Review (Dry)

Earthborn Holistic Venture Limited Ingredient Diets Dog Food product range is made up of three recipes with ratings varying from 4.5 to 5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 5 stars.

The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Earthborn Holistic Venture Rabbit Meal and Pumpkin was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is rabbit meal. Rabbit meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh rabbit.

The second ingredient is pumpkin. Pumpkin is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene and dietary fiber.

The third ingredient is butternut squash. Squash is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.

The next ingredient is alaska pollock meal. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, fish meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself.

Fish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations.¹

The fifth ingredient is tapioca, a gluten-free, starchy carbohydrate extract made from the root of the cassava plant.

The sixth ingredient is sunflower oil. This item is nutritionally similar to safflower oil. Since these oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids and contain no omega-3’s, they’re considered less nutritious than canola or flaxseed oils.

Sunflower oil is notable for its resistance to heat damage during cooking.

There are several different types of sunflower oil, some better than others. Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this ingredient.

The seventh ingredient is 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.

However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other ingredients.

But realistically items located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Earthborn Holistic product.

With four notable exceptions…

First, we note the use of taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.

Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.

Next, dried fermentation products are in this recipe. Fermentation products are typically added as probiotics to aid with digestion.

In addition, this recipe contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.

And lastly, this food includes 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.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Earthborn Holistic Venture Rabbit Meal & Pumpkin looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 28.9%, a fat level of 14.4% and estimated carbohydrates of about 48.7%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 28.5% and a mean fat level of 14.4%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 49% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 51%.

Near-average protein. Below-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to other dry dog foods.

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a significant amount of meat.

Earthborn Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Earthborn through November 2024.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

Our Rating of Earthborn Holistic Venture Grain Free Dog Food

Earthborn Holistic Venture is a grain-free dry dog food using a significant amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.

Highly Recommended

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