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Which Health Extension Grain-Free Recipes Get Our Best Ratings?
Health Extension Grain Free Dog Food receives the Advisor’s second-highest tier rating of 4.5 stars.
The Health Extension Grain Free product line includes the 9 dry dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
Recipe and Label Analysis
Health Extension Grain Free Buffalo and Whitefish Little Bites was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.
Health Extension Grain Free Buffalo and Whitefish Little Bites
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Buffalo, deboned whitefish, whitefish meal (source of Omega-3 fatty acids), whole sweet potatoes, pork meal, peas, chickpeas, lentils, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), dried beet pulp, coconut oil, organic apple cider vinegar, organic turmeric, organic black pepper, organic ginger, bovine colostrum, organic blueberries, cranberries, organic goji berries, organic tart cherries, organic pomegranate, organic pineapple, organic papaya, organic apple, dried kelp, dried seaweed meal, new zealand green mussel, organic carrots, organic pumpkin, green tea extract, sage extract, organic parsley, organic spinach, organic kale, sweet basil, thyme extract, organic ashwagandha, organic chaga, organic lion’s mane, organic reishi, organic turkey tail, organic shiitake, organic maitake, organic cordyceps, vitamin A acetate, vitamin E supplement, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, niacin supplement, choline chloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, biotin, zinc polysaccharide complex, iron polysaccharide complex, manganese polysaccharide complex, copper polysaccharide complex, cobalt polysaccharide complex, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, yucca schidigera extract, pectin, dried lactobacilus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, dried bacillus licheniformis fermentation product, dried baciollus coagulans fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation product, dried aspergillus niger fermentation product
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 25% | 15% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 28% | 17% | 48% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 24% | 35% | 41% |
Ingredient Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is buffalo. Although it is a quality item, raw buffalo 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 whitefish, a marine or freshwater species native to Canada and the California coast. This item is typically sourced from clean, undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings of commercial fish operations.1
Although it is a quality item, raw fish 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 third ingredient is buffalo meal. Buffalo meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh buffalo.
The fourth ingredient is whitefish meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate.
Fish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations.2
The fifth ingredient includes lentils. Lentils are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, lentils contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The sixth ingredient lists chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. Like peas, beans and lentils, chickpeas are a nutritious member of the fiber-rich legume (or pulse) family of vegetables.
However, chickpeas contain about 22% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The seventh ingredient is salmon oil. Salmon oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.
Depending on its level of freshness and purity, salmon oil should be considered a commendable addition.
The eighth ingredient is tapioca starch, a gluten-free, starchy carbohydrate extract made from the root of the cassava plant.
The ninth 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.
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 Health Extension product.
With 6 notable exceptions…
First, we find 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, this recipe includes coconut oil, a natural oil rich in medium-chain fatty acids.
Medium-chain triglycerides have been shown to improve cognitive function in older dogs.3
Because of its proven safety4 as well as its potential to help in the treatment of canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) and chronic skin disorders, MCT can be considered a positive addition to this recipe.
In addition, we find chicory root. Chicory 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.
We also note the use of dried seaweed meal, a product made from a family of brown algae known as Fucaceae (Rockweed). Although it does contain a number of healthy nutrients, seaweed meal is primarily used as a source of inexpensive carbohydrates (about 60% dry matter).
This item is only rarely used to make pet food and is more typically found in feeds for cattle, horses, hogs, hens and sheep.
Next, this recipe includes 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 its ingredients alone, Health Extension Grain Free looks like an above-average dry dog food.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 28%, a fat level of 17% and estimated carbohydrates of about 48%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 28% and a mean fat level of 17%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 46% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 61%.
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the chickpeas, lentils and peas, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a notable amount of meat.
Our Rating of Health Extension Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Health Extension Grain Free is a dry dog food using a notable amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4.5 stars.
Highly recommended.
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Health Extension Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Health Extension through November.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
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More Health Extension Reviews
The following Health Extension dog food reviews are also posted on this website:
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A Final Word
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