Natural Balance Ultra Premium Beef Formula Canned Dog Food

The average dog food we reviewed has 39 total ingredients, with 1 controversial ingredient. This product has 1 controversial ingredient.

Top 5 Ingredients

Dog food ingredients are listed in descending order of weight. So when looking at dog food label, take a close look at the first 5 ingredients. They make up about 80% of the total weight.

• Beef
  Beef is the culinary name for cuts of meat from cattle, particularly skeletal muscle. In dog food, beef can also include muscle tissues from the tongue, heart, diaphragm or esophagus. Beef is rich in protein and nutrients like niacin, vitamin B12, creatine, iron and zinc. Beef is generally a healthy dog food ingredient. Whole meat contains about 75% water which is cooked off during the making of dog food. This leaves only a fraction of the protein content in the final product. We recommend looking for dog foods that also include meat meals (pre-cooked meat powder that contains four times the amount of protein).

• Beef Broth
  Broth is often used as a healthy natural flavor or instead of water when making dog food. It makes dogs more likely to eat the food and adds moisture but doesn't provide a lot of nutritional value. Beef Broth is generally a healthy dog food ingredient.

• Beef Liver
  Beef liver is an organ that's rich in iron, copper, and vitamin A and B. Generally, the liver is a nutritious and healthy ingredient that provides nutrients and flavor that makes your dog want to eat the food.
  
  
• Potatoes
  Potatoes provide carbohydrates (mostly starch) and are a rich source of vitamin B6 and vitamin C. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned that there is a potential link between potatoes and canine heart disease. It is still too early to draw conclusions so we cannot yet say if potatoes are a generally high-quality dog food ingredient or should be avoided.
  
  
• Carrots
  Carrots are a root vegetable and contains healthy nutrients like carbohydrates, fiber and beta-carotene. We consider it a high-quality dog food ingredient.

‍

‍Controversial Ingredients

1. Carrageenan
2. Carrageenan is derived from red algae or seaweed and is used as a gelling or thickening ingredient to bind food together. Evidence has been found that it is potentially inflammatory and toxic to the digestive tract, and may be responsible for colitis, IBS, rheumatoid arthritis, and colon cancer.

‍Country of Origin

Natural Balance Ultra Premium Beef Formula is made in the United States. That’s positive, because of the high quality standards in the U.S.

Meat & Fat Quality

All meats and added oils are clearly identified in this product. They are Beef, Beef Liver, Potatoes, Carrots, and Canola Oil. This is a sign of quality, as you can clearly tell which animal and plant they originated from.

Artificial Preservatives

This product contains 0 controversial preservatives, that’s excellent. It’s good to know that ‍not all artificial preservatives are bad. That’s because they serve an important purpose, which is to prevent food from spoiling. However, we consider 11 artificial preservatives controversial because of their potential link to cancer and other serious health conditions.

Artificial Colors

Natural Balance Ultra Premium Beef Formula also doesn’t have any artificial colors.

Artificial Flavors

No artificial flavors either, that’s great news. This dog food manages to ace all three “artificial ingredients” tests, an excellent performance. This is exactly what you want to see.