Evanger’s Hi Bio Dog Food Review (Dry)

Mike Sagman

By

Mike Sagman
Mike Sagman

Mike Sagman

Founder

Dr Mike Sagman is the creator of the Dog Food Advisor. He founded the website in 2008, after his unquestioning trust in commercial dog food led to the tragic death of his dog Penny.

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Updated: April 22, 2024

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Evanger’s Hi Bio Dog Food receives the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.

The Evanger’s Hi Bio product line includes the 2 dry dog foods listed below.

Each recipe includes its related AAFCO nutrient profile when available on the product’s official webpage: Growth, Maintenance, All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

  • Evanger’s Hi Bio Beef Superfood [A]
  • Evanger’s Hi Bio Chicken Superfood [A]

Evanger’s Hi Bio Chicken Superfood was selected to represent both products in the line for this review.

Evanger's Hi Bio Chicken Superfood

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

37.3%

Protein

22.7%

Fat

32%

CarbsCarbohydrates

Chicken, chicken heart, liver, sweet potato, chia seeds, kale, dried cultured skim milk, tomato paste, taurine, mixed tocopherols (vitamin E), sea salt, peas, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, biotin, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid) minerals (calcium carbonate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate (Bioplexâ„¢), copper sulfate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese sulfate, manganese amino acid chelate, calcium iodate, cobalt carbonate) dl methionine, lysine, dried chicory root, choline chloride, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Aspergillus niger fermentation product, dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation product (LactoSaccâ„¢ probiotics), Yucca schidigera extract (De-Odorase), selenium yeast (SelPlexâ„¢)


Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3%

Red denotes any controversial items

Estimated Nutrient Content
Method Protein Fat Carbs
Guaranteed Analysis 28% 17% NA
Dry Matter Basis 37% 23% 32%
Calorie Weighted Basis 30% 44% 26%

Ingredient Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains up to 73% 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.

The second ingredient is chicken heart. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, heart tissue is pure muscle — all meat. It’s naturally rich in quality protein, minerals and complex B vitamins, too.

The third ingredient is liver. Normally, liver can be considered a quality component. However, in this case, the source of the liver is not identified. For this reason, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this item.

Although they are quality items, raw organ meats contain up to 73% 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.

The next ingredient is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.

The fifth ingredient is chia seed, an edible seed nutritionally similar to flax or sesame. Provided they’re first ground into a meal, chia seeds are rich in both omega-3 fatty acids as well as dietary fiber.

However, chia seeds contain about 17% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

Next, we find kale, a type of cabbage in which the central leaves do not form a head. This dark green vegetable is especially rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin K and calcium.

And like broccoli, kale contains sulforaphane, a natural chemical believed to possess potent anti-cancer properties.

The seventh ingredient is dried cultured skim milk. Cultured nonfat milk is similar to buttermilk. So, it’s rich in calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D.

And because the fermentation process used to make it utilizes most of the lactose in the milk, this item can be considered a nutritious addition to the recipe.

The eighth ingredient is tomato paste. Unlike the controversial item, tomato pomace, tomato paste does not include the skin or seeds of the fruit.

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 Evanger’s product.

With 5 notable exceptions

First, this recipe includes peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.

However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

Next, chicory root is 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.

In addition, this recipe includes selenium yeast. Unlike the more common inorganic form of selenium (sodium selenite), this natural yeast supplement is considered a safer anti-cancer alternative.

We also 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.

And lastly, 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.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Evanger’s Hi Bio Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 37%, a fat level of 23% and estimated carbohydrates of about 32%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 37% and a mean fat level of 23%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 32% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 61%.

Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the chia seed and peas, this looks like the profile of a dog food containing a generous amount of meat.

Bottom line?

Evanger’s Hi Bio is a grain-free dry dog food using a significant amount of named meats as its main source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.

Enthusiastically recommended.

Evanger’s Dog Food Recall History

The following list (if present) includes all dog food recalls since 2009 directly related to Evanger’s. If there are no recalls listed in this section, we have not yet reported any events.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls sorted by date. Or view the same list sorted alphabetically by brand.

A Final Word

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