Broth-Licious Vitality Grain-Free Beef & Green Bean in Beef Bone Broth Wet Dog Food, 3.5-oz tray, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Health Extension Broth-Licious Vitality is a grain-free wet food in a tray, featuring beef and beef kidney, designed for adult dogs.
This formula offers reasonable protein quality, with beef providing solid amino acid coverage. The inclusion of organ meats like beef lung and kidney adds diverse, highly bioavailable protein sources.
There's no declared omega-3 source, which means it's missing out on those beneficial fatty acids. It also contains guar gum, an emulsifier that gets a minor penalty in canned foods.
Good fit for adult dogs who enjoy wet food in convenient trays. Less ideal if you prefer formulas with a clear omega-3 source.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for adult Labrador Retrievers navigating weight management. At 54 kcal/cup this formula runs on the lean side. The landmark 14-year Purina Lifespan Study on 48 Labrador Retrievers demonstrated that dogs fed 25% fewer calories lived a median of 1.8 years longer and delayed the onset of chronic diseases. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention's 2023 survey, 59% of dogs in the United States were classified as overweight or obese by their veterinary healthcare professional, representing an estimated 55 million dogs (APOP, 2023) .
Looking at this for adult Labrador Retrievers or Labrador Retrievers with weight management ? We are building dedicated pages for these combinations.
Auto-matched from this product's measurements (ingredients, life stage, calorie density) to a breed archetype. Not a substitute for vet input on your specific dog.
Research informing this analysis
MethodologyThe Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- Brooks et al., 2014diagnostic · protocol · satiety· cited in 5 claims
- APOP, 2023prevalence
- Raffan et al., 2016genetics
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 50/100, landing in C-tier (acceptable-with-notes). The biggest contributor was protein quality (+17.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. beef delivers solid amino acid coverage. The biggest detractor was fat quality (-8 points): No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent. To reach B-tier, this formula would need to gain about 10 points, most likely through fat quality.
Reasonable protein quality. beef delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..
- Lowest fat quality in Health Extension's lineup (4/16)
- Top 10% for DMB protein in wet foods (54.5%)
- Bottom 4% for DMB fat in grain-free wet foods (9.1%)
Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.
Similar dog foods worth considering
Three lenses on products with formulation profiles similar to this one.
ACANA Premium Pate Beef in Bone Broth Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 12.8-oz, case of 12
Scores 19 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Health Extension Stew Variety Pack: Beef & Chicken Wet Dog Food, 12-oz can, 12 count
$4.11/lb vs your seed's $11.90/lb (65% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 55%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1beef broth
Real broth. Adds flavor and moisture, signals the recipe leans on real meat.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalbeef
Real meat. Dense in protein and iron. Some dogs are sensitive to it, but for most it's an excellent base.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3beef lung
Organ meat. Lean, protein-dense, real-food inclusion. More common in raw and freeze-dried diets.
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4protein animalbeef kidney
Organ meat. Dense in B vitamins, iron, and trace minerals. Among the most nutritious ingredients on any label.
Position 4. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 5vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 5: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 6green beans
Real vegetable. Fiber and a small amount of vitamins. Often used in weight-management formulas because it bulks up a meal without adding calories.
- 7potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 8sunflower seed oil
Position 8: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 9fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 9: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 10mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 11mineralzinc amino acid complex
Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.
- 12supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 13marine microalgae
- 14mineralmagnesium sulfate
Source of magnesium, a required mineral. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 15vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 16vitamincalcium pantothenate
Same as d-calcium pantothenate. Vitamin B5 in standardized form.
- 17mineralmanganese amino acid complex
Manganese bound to amino acids for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 18vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 19vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 20vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 21mineralsodium selenite Flagged
Inorganic selenium. Effective at AAFCO levels, no documented safety concern in dogs despite what some pet food blogs claim. Selenium yeast is a marginal upgrade, not a necessity. See why →
- 22mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 23vitaminriboflavin supplement
B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.
- 24vitaminpyridoxine hydrochloride
B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.
- 25vitaminfolic acid
B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.
Showing first 25 of 28. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.
Health Extension Broth-Licious Vitality Grain-Free Beef & Green Bean in Beef Bone Broth Wet Dog Food is expertly formulated to meet the nutritional standards set by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for Adult Maintenance.