Natural Planet Dog Food Review (Dry)
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Natural Planet Dog Food receives the Advisor’s second-best rating of 4 stars.
The Natural Planet product line includes the 5 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.
Use the links to check prices and package sizes at an online retailer.
- Natural Planet Turkey and Peas Formula Grain Free [A]
- Natural Planet Rabbit and Salmon Entree Grain Free (3.5 stars) [A]
- Natural Planet Duck and Whitefish Entree Grain Free (3.5 stars) [A]
- Natural Planet Chicken and Oats Formula [A]
- Natural Planet Kangaroo and Venison Meal Entree Grain Free (3.5 stars) [A]
Natural Planet Turkey and Peas Formula Grain Free was selected to represent the other products in the line for this review.
Natural Planet Turkey and Peas Formula Grain Free
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Organic turkey, organic peas, turkey meal, organic pea flour, organic tapioca flour, organic alfalfa meal, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), organic flax seeds, organic potatoes, natural flavors, dicalcium phosphate, pea starch, organic sunflower oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), salt, organic apples, organic dried kelp meal, potassium chloride, dried brewers yeast, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, cobalt proteinate, manganese proteinate, selenium yeast), salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), choline chloride, vitamins (vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), blueberries, organic cranberries, dried chicory root, sage, lecithin, lactic acid, Yucca schidigera extract, calcium iodate, rosemary extract, yeast culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 6%
Red denotes any controversial items
The first ingredient in this dog food is turkey. Although it is a quality item, raw turkey 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 lists 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.
The third ingredient is turkey meal. Turkey meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh turkey.
The next ingredient is pea flour, a powder made from roasted yellow peas. Pea flour contains as much as 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The fifth ingredient is tapioca flour, a gluten-free, starchy carbohydrate extract made from the root of the cassava plant.
The sixth item is alfalfa meal. Although alfalfa meal is high in plant protein (about 18%) and fiber (25%), this hay-family item is more commonly associated with horse feeds.
The next ingredient is canola oil. Unfortunately, canola can be a controversial item. That’s because it can sometimes (but not always) be derived from genetically modified rapeseed.
Yet others cite the fact canola oil can be a significant source of essential omega-3 fatty acids.
In any case, plant-based oils like canola are less biologically available to a dog than fish oil as a source of quality omega-3 fats.
The eighth 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 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 6 notable exceptions…
First, we find 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.
Next, brewers yeast can be a controversial item. Although it’s a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient is rich in minerals and other healthy nutrients.
Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system.
Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.
In addition, a vocal minority insists that yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is a claim we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.
In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, yeast can still be considered a nutritious additive.
What’s more noteworthy here is that brewers yeast contains about 48% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
This food also contains 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, this item should be considered a commendable addition.
Next, 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 inclusion of 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.
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.
Natural Planet Dog Food Review
According to its ingredients alone, Natural Planet Dog Food appears to be an above-average dry product.
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 27% and a mean fat level of 16%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 50% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 58%.
Which means this Natural Planet product line contains…
Near-average protein. Near-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to other dry dog foods.
When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the pea products, flaxseed, alfalfa meal and brewers yeast, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Natural Planet lists both with-grain and grain-free dry dog foods that incorporate a moderate amount of named meat meals as its main source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.
Highly recommended.
Natural Planet Dog Food
Recall History
The following list (if present) includes all dog food recalls since 2009 directly related to this product line. If there are no recalls listed in this section, we have not yet reported any events.
Notes and Updates
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