Naked Essentials Ancient Grain Chicken and Turkey Recipe Dry Dog Food, 23-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
I and Love and You Naked Essentials Ancient Grain Chicken and Turkey Recipe is a dry dog food featuring chicken and turkey as its main protein sources.
This recipe boasts a strong protein profile, with chicken as the first ingredient, providing high biological value. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber, and good fat sources like named chicken fat and marine oil, which is a source of EPA and DHA.
The main thing to note is the absence of an AAFCO statement, which means the nutritional completeness of this food is unverified. This factor capped its overall score.
Good fit for dogs whose owners prioritize quality protein, fat, and carb sources. Less ideal if you require AAFCO verification of nutritional completeness.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for active large sporting breeds like Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and English Setters navigating weight management. Working in its favor: crude fiber (5%) helps satiety. At 390 kcal/cup this formula runs on the moderate side, with crude fiber at 5% (above the catalog median, supports satiety). 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. The 2014 AAHA Weight Management Guidelines define overweight as a Body Condition Score (BCS) of 6-7 on a 9-point scale. A score of 8 or 9 indicates obesity, representing 20-30% and >30% above ideal body weight, respectively (Brooks et al., 2014) .
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Middle-of-pack grade. 59/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+24.5 points): Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. What capped it: the score can't exceed 59 because the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement isn't disclosed on the retailer page (so our methodology can't verify the formula meets adult, growth, or all-life-stages standards). How it could climb: the brand publishing the AAFCO statement, which would lift the cap into B-band range.
Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
- Top 3% for protein quality in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (24.5/27)
- Bottom quartile for DMB protein in I and Love and You's lineup (33.3%)
- Top quartile for crude fiber in I and Love and You's lineup (5.6% DMB)
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.
I and Love and You Naked Essentials Grain-Free Lamb and Bison Recipe Dry Dog Food, 40-lb bag
Scores 11 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Nature's Recipe Grain-Free Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Recipe Dry Dog Food, 24-lb bag
$2.00/lb vs your seed's $3.48/lb (43% less) at a comparable score.
Tender & True Turkey & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 23-lb bag
Turkey instead of chicken, matched score, different brand.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalchicken meal
Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. See why →
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3protein animalturkey meal
Turkey with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh turkey. See why →
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4ground sorghum
Whole grain with a low glycemic index. Gluten-free, well-tolerated, decent fiber content.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5grainoatmeal
Gentle on the stomach. Slow-release carbs and soluble fiber that supports stool quality.
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6grainmillet
Gluten-free whole grain. Fine for most dogs, often used as an alternative to rice.
Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 7: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 8dried egg product
Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 8: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 9othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 10grainquinoa
Pseudo-grain with a complete amino acid profile. Rare in dog food because it's expensive.
Position 10: minor grain inclusion.
- 11protein animalturkey
Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.
Position 11: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 12dried tomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
Position 12: trace fiber inclusion.
- 13flaxseeds
Plural form, same as flaxseed. Plant source of omega-3, helpful for skin and coat.
- 14ground miscanthus grass
Same as miscanthus grass. A plant fiber source, mostly there for stool quality.
- 15fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
Position 15. Trace marine oil. Contributes some omega-3 but well below the level that drives EPA/DHA totals.
- 16vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
- 17mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 18mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 19monosodium phosphate
Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.
- 20mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 21iron amino acid chelate
Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 22zinc amino acid chelate
Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.
- 23zinc oxide
Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.
- 24mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 25mineralsodium 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 →
Showing first 25 of 48. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
25 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.