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Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Reserve Grain-Free Sweet Potato & Bison Recipe Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag
Natural Balance

Limited Ingredient Reserve Grain-Free Sweet Potato & Bison Recipe Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag

Evidence Fair
dry $3.64/lb

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Reserve Grain-Free Sweet Potato & Bison Recipe Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 44/100 (D) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).

FQI

Premium micronutrient forms such as chelated minerals or natural vitamin E.

MNI

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

Plant-protein-dominated formula. sweet potato as the #1 ingredient.

PQI

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

Controversial ingredients · 1

  • sodium selenite
    Synthetic selenium source. Selenium is essential, but sodium selenite has a narrower safety margin than organic alternatives like selenium yeast. Better-formulated foods use the organic form.

Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 22% ⓘ
Protein
20%
min (as fed)
Fat
10%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

41 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    sweet potato

    Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.

  2. 2
    bison

    Real meat, leaner than beef. Used as a novel protein, mostly in premium formulas.

  3. 3
    potato

    Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.

  4. 4
    potato protein

    Concentrated potato protein. Like pea protein, it inflates the protein number without matching meat-quality amino acids.

  5. 5
    pea protein

    Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.

  6. 6
    canola oil

    Plant oil. Some omega-3 from the parent plant, though dogs absorb it less efficiently than fish-derived omega-3. Fine in moderation.

  7. 7
    dicalcium phosphate

    Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.

  8. 8
    menhaden fish oil

    Omega-3 from menhaden, a small oily fish. Same skin and coat support as salmon oil.

  9. 9
    natural flavor

    Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.

  10. 10
    calcium carbonate

    Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.

  11. 11
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  12. 12
    potato

    Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.

  13. 13
    flaxseed

    Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.

  14. 14
    taurine

    Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.

  15. 15
    dl-methionine

    Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.

  16. 16
    vitamin e supplement

    Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.

  17. 17
    ascorbic acid

    Vitamin C. Pulls double duty as a natural antioxidant preservative.

  18. 18
    niacin supplement

    B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.

  19. 19
    vitamin a supplement

    Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.

  20. 20
    thiamine mononitrate

    B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.

  21. 21
    d-calcium pantothenate

    B vitamin (B5). Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  22. 22
    riboflavin supplement

    B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.

  23. 23
    pyridoxine hydrochloride

    B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.

  24. 24
    vitamin b12 supplement

    Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.

  25. 25
    folic acid

    B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.

Showing first 25 of 41. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

25 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.