Limited Ingredient Vegetarian Recipe Dog Food, 13-oz, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Vegetarian Recipe is a wet dog food that's completely plant-based, with no animal protein sources.
This formula does include quality carbohydrate sources like brown rice and barley, and the fiber content is declared.
A major concern is the absence of an AAFCO statement, meaning its nutritional completeness is unverified. Also, it's a plant-protein-dominated formula, with potato as the second ingredient after broth.
Good fit for owners specifically seeking a vegetarian diet for their dog. Less ideal if you prioritize verified nutritional completeness or animal-based protein.
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 Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Vegetable broth leads the deck, with zero pulses in the top 15. In its 2022 update on diet-associated DCM, the FDA identified Golden Retrievers as the most reported breed, with 121 cases out of 1,382 total canine reports (8.8%) received between January 1, 2014, and November 1, 2022 (FDA, 2022) .
Looking at this for adult Golden Retrievers or Golden Retrievers with diet-associated DCM concerns ? 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.
- FDA, 2022cardiac · epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 5 claims
- FDA, 2019diet composition· cited in 2 claims
- NRC, 2006nutrient bioavailability
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 38/100, landing in D-tier territory. The biggest contributor was carbohydrate quality (+13 points): Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber. A hard cap of 59 also applied 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). Even without the cap, the base component scores sit below the next band. The structural fix would need to address protein quality as well.
Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
Plant-protein-dominated formula. potato as the #1 ingredient.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
- Lowest protein quality in Natural Balance's lineup (1.6/27)
- Top quartile for crude fiber in Natural Balance's lineup (11.4% DMB)
- Lowest overall Sniff Score in Natural Balance's lineup (38/100)
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.
Natural Balance Specialized Nutrition Digestive & Immune Health Adult Lamb & Brown Rice Formula Wet Dog Food, 12.7-oz can, case of 12
Scores 25 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Grain-Free Sweet Potato & Salmon Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
$4.91/lb vs your seed's $5.00/lb (2% 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 23%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1vegetable broth
- 2vegetablepotato
Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.
Position 2: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 3grainbrown rice
Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.
Position 3: major carbohydrate source.
- 4grainbarley
Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5grainoats
Whole grain. Steady energy, soluble fiber, and well-tolerated by most dogs.
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6protein plantpotato protein
Concentrated potato protein. Like pea protein, it inflates the protein number without matching meat-quality amino acids.
Position 6: moderate plant-protein boost. Less likely to materially shift the protein profile.
- 7vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 7: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 8fatcanola oil
Plant oil. Some omega-3 from the parent plant, though dogs absorb it less efficiently than fish-derived omega-3. Fine in moderation.
Position 8: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 9dried tomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
Position 9: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 10fatground flaxseed
Cracked flaxseed for better digestibility. Same plant omega-3s as whole flaxseed, just easier for the dog to extract.
Position 10: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 11natural vegetable flavor
- 12agar-agar
Seaweed-derived gel used as a thickener. Functional alternative to carrageenan, generally well-tolerated.
- 13mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 14mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 15mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 16mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 17mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 18mineralsodium 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 →
- 19ethylenediamine dihydroiodide
- 20mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 21mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 22supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 23mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 24supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 25natural smoke flavor
Showing first 25 of 27. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
21 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.