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Our Verdict
Nutro Limited Ingredient Diet product range consists of five recipes which each receive the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 4 stars.
Limited-ingredient dog food specially crafted for dogs’ sensitivities, without ingredients that commonly cause sensitivities, such as chicken, beef, wheat, or dairy protein.
Pros
- Single novel protein source
- Transparent ingredient usage
- Focus on sustainability
Cons
- Not budget-friendly
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
Nutro Limited Ingredient Diet Grain Free Adult Salmon and Lentils was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Nutro Limited Ingredient Diet Grain Free Adult Salmon and Lentils
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Salmon, lentils, dried potatoes, fish meal, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, potato starch, sunflower oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potato protein, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), dried plain beet pulp, potassium chloride, natural flavors, salt, choline chloride, dl-methionine, whole flaxseed, citric acid (preservative), mixed tocopherols (preservative), ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, sodium selenite, vitamin E supplement, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, d-calcium pantothenate, biotin, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin A supplement, niacin supplement, potassium iodide, riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), manganous oxide, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 22% | 14% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 24% | 16% | 52% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 21% | 33% | 46% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is salmon. Although it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, raw salmon 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 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 third ingredient is dried potato, a dehydrated item usually made from the by-products of potato processing. In most cases, dried potato can contain about 10% dry matter protein which can have a slight affect on our estimate of the total meat content of this recipe.
The fourth ingredient is fish 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
Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. Because various fish contain different types of fats, we would have preferred to have known the source species.
The next ingredient lists chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. Like peas, beans and lentils, the chickpea is a nutritious member of the fiber-rich legume (or pulse) family of vegetables.
However, chickpeas contain about 22% protein.
The sixth item is dried sweet potato, a dehydrated item usually made from the by-products of potato processing. In most cases, dried sweet potato can contain about 10% dry matter protein which can have a slight affect on our estimate of the total meat content of this recipe.
The seventh ingredient is potato starch. Potato starch is a gluten-free carbohydrate of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The eighth ingredient is sunflower oil. Sunflower oil 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 ninth ingredient is potato protein, the dry residue remaining after removing the starchy part of a potato.
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 actual meat content of this dog food.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other inclusions.
But realistically, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Nutro product.
With three notable exceptions…
First, 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.
Next, we find no mention of probiotics, friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing to help with digestion.
In addition, 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, Nutro Limited Ingredient Diet Adult Salmon and Lentils looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 25.5%, a fat level of 16.3% and estimated carbohydrates of about 46.4%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 23.8% and a mean fat level of 16.1%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 48.4% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 68%.
Which means this Nutro product line contains…
Below-average protein. Near-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to other dry dog foods.
When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the dried potatoes, lentils, chickpeas and potato protein, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing just a moderate amount of meat.
Nutro Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Nutro through February 2026.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Nutro Limited Ingredient Diet Grain Free Dog Food
Nutro Limited Ingredient Diet is a grain-free dry dog food using a moderate amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus receiving 4 stars.
About
Nutro has operated for over 90 years, making it one of the oldest pet food brands. John, Herman, and Albert Saleen founded Nutro in 1933.
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A Final Word
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