Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
Freshpet Nature’s Fresh product range is made up of two recipes with ratings varying from 4.5 to 5Â stars. The average rating of the whole range is 5Â 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.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Freshpet Nature's Fresh Grain Free Chicken | 5 | M |
| Freshpet Nature's Fresh Grain Free Chicken Small Breed | 4.5 | M |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Freshpet Nature’s Fresh Grain Free Chicken was selected to represent both products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Freshpet Nature's Fresh Grain Free Chicken Recipe
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, carrots, pea protein, eggs, pea fiber, natural flavors, vinegar, spinach, salt, beta-carotene, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium lodate), vitamins (choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, biotin, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, calcium pantothenate, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), potassium chloride, celery powder
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1.5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 17% | 10% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 49% | 29% | 15% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 37% | 52% | 11% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1
Chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient includes carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The third ingredient is pea protein, what remains of a pea after removing the starchy part of the vegetable.
Even though it contains over 80% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.
And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label — a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The fourth ingredient lists eggs. Eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
After the natural flavors, we find pea fiber, a mixture of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber derived from pea hulls. Aside from the usual benefits of fiber, this agricultural by-product provides no other nutritional value to a dog.
The next ingredient is vinegar, an item of only modest nutritional value to a dog. We would assume it’s used here to adjust the pH of this recipe.
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 Freshpet product.
With two notable exceptions…
First, sodium 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 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 the ingredients alone, Freshpet Nature’s Fresh Dog Food looks like an above-average moist product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 48.6%, a fat level of 28.6% and estimated carbohydrates of about 14.9%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 51.3% and a mean fat level of 30.5%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 10.2% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 59%.
Which means this Freshpet product line contains…
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical moist dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the pea products, this looks like the profile of a moist product containing a significant amount of meat.
Freshpet Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Freshpet through October 2024.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Freshpet Nature's Fresh Grain Free Dog Food
Freshpet Nature’s Fresh is a grain-free refrigerated moist dog food using a significant amount of named meat as its main source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Compare Freshpet Nature's Fresh Dog Food
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A Final Word
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