For those interested:
[h=4]Earthborn Holistic Grain Free Great Plains Feast[/h]Dry Dog FoodEstimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
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Ingredients: Bison meal, peas, pea protein, tapioca, dried egg product, canola oil(preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), flaxseed, lamb meal, pea fiber, natural flavors, blueberry fiber, cranberry fiber, apples, blueberries, carrots, spinach, cranberries, choline chloride, potassium chloride, dl-methionine, l-lysine, taurine, l-carnitine, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, niacin, folic acid, biotin, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, salt, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, cobalt carbonate, vitamin B12 supplement, Yucca schidgera extract, rosemary extract, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Enterococus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation productFiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food isbison meal. Bison meal is considered a
meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh bison.
The second ingredient mentions peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in
natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
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 valuethan meat.
And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total proteinreported on the label — a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The fourth ingredient is tapioca, a gluten-free, starchy carbohydrate extract made from the root of the cassava plant.
The fifth ingredient is dried egg product, a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries — from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high
biological value.
The sixth ingredient is canola oil. Many applaud canola for its favorable omega-3 content while a vocal minority condemn it as an unhealthy fat.
Much of the objection regarding canola oil appears to be related to the use of genetically modified rapeseed as its raw material source.
Current thinking (ours included) finds the negative stories about canola oil more the stuff of urban legend than actual science.[SUP]
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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 seventh 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.
The eighth ingredient is lamb meal. Nutritionally similar to bison meal, lamb meal is considered another
meat concentrate.
The ninth item is pea fiber, a mix of both soluble and insoluble
dietary fiberderived from pea hulls.
From here, the list goes on to include anumber 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 two notable exceptions…
First, the manufacturer appears to have applied friendly bacteria to the surface of the kibble after cooking. These specialprobiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.
And lastly, this food also 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.
Earthborn Holistic Grain Free Dog Food[h=2]
The Bottom Line[/h]Judging by its ingredients alone, Earthborn Holistic Grain Free Dog Food looks to be an above-average kibble.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need toestimate the product’s meat contentbefore determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a
dry matterprotein reading of 38%, a fat level of 20% and
estimated carbohydrates of about 34%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 36% and a mean fat level of 20%. Together, these figures suggest a
carbohydrate contentof 36% for the overall product line.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas and pea protein, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing an above-average amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Earthborn Holistic Grain Free is a meat-based dry dog food using an above-average amount of fish, poultry and bison meals as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
So, here's my question.
