Natural Balance Vegetarian
Rating: 
| Price: $$$ | Natural Balance Website
Natural Balance Vegetarian
Vegetarian and Vegan pet foods have been gaining a loyal following. To me, imposing an ideological diet on a canine or feline feels wrong, especially considering their digestive system is geared towards digesting meat proteins more than vegetable proteins. Feeding a vegetarian diet long term may have damaging effects.
I’ll take a proactive stance with this review, but simply can not give it a high rating without meat.
Let’s take a look…
Brown Rice is the main ingredient, which although better than white rice is still a mediocre grain. Oatmeal is a quality grain, so that’s good, as is Pearled Barley as the 3rd ingredient. Thankfully we see no cheap and nasty filler grains like wheat, sorghum, and corn, the main culprits for allergies.
Peas are one of the better vegetable protein sources, but in most cases simply aren’t as digestible as decent meat proteins. Potato Protein acts as a further protein source.
Canola oil is good to see and adds essential nutrients and omega fats, as well as contributing to healthy skin and coat. Flaxseed is another great ingredient in that respect.
Vegetable flavoring seems pointless, other than to add palatability to a food your dog may otherwise turn his nose up at.
Some nice inclusions can be found in small traces, such as spinach and kelp, with sufficient vitamins and minerals.
Protein is low at 18%, and fat is very low at 8%, so you may end up with a lethargic dog.
For a food without meat they’ve chosen ingredients of a somewhat moderate standard. If I take into account there’s no meat it would be a 2 star, but as a middle-of-the-road vegetarian food I’ll give it 3 stars, and leave it up to you whether to impose this food on a canine.
Where to buy?
What’s good about this food….
Decent grains are used, flaxseed.
….and what’s not so good.
I wouldn’t consider this a canine diet.
Ingredients:
Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Cracked Pearled Barley, Peas, Potato Protein, Canola Oil, Potatoes, Tomato Pomace, Vegetable Flavoring, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Spinach, Parsley Flakes, Cranberries, L-Lysine, L-Carnitine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Kelp, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin D-2 Supplement, Folic Acid.
