Adult Gastrointestinal Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag

1. 1

   chicken by-product meal

   Ground organs, bone, and tissue. Nutritionally dense, especially the liver and gizzard fractions. Named species ('chicken') is what matters. Generic 'poultry by-product meal' is the one to worry about.

   protein animal
2. 2

   brown rice

   Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.

   grain
3. 3

   corn

   Whole corn is more nutritious than it gets credit for, with decent amino acids and steady carbs. The bigger concern is when corn dominates the top of the ingredient list at the expense of named meat.

   grain
4. 4

   brewers rice

   Broken rice kernels left over from milling, usually destined for human beer-making. Cheaper than whole or even white rice. Same carbs, less nutrition than the brown version.

5. 5

   chicken fat

   Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid.

   fat
6. 6

   natural flavors

   Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.

   other
7. 7

   egg product

   Processed whole eggs. Same nutritional profile as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.

   protein animal
8. 8

   corn protein meal

   Concentrated corn protein. Similar in role to corn gluten meal, pads the protein number on the label without matching meat amino acids.

9. 9

   dried plain beet pulp

   Beet fiber, with the sugar removed. Long unfairly maligned. It's a real soluble fiber that supports stool quality.

10. 10

    vegetable oil

    Unnamed plant oil. Could be soy, canola, corn, or a blend. Named oils like sunflower or canola are more transparent.

11. 11

    monocalcium phosphate

    Source of calcium and phosphorus. Standard mineral inclusion in complete dog foods.

12. 12

    fish oil

    Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.

    fat
13. 13

    calcium carbonate

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

    mineral
14. 14

    powdered cellulose

    Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.

    fiber
15. 15

    salt

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

    mineral
16. 16

    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

    mineral
17. 17

    powdered psyllium seed husk
18. 18

    sodium aluminosilicate

    Anti-caking agent that keeps powder ingredients flowing. Functional, not nutritional.

19. 19

    fructooligosaccharides

    Prebiotic fiber, often called FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria, similar in function to inulin.

    fiber
20. 20

    choline chloride

    Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

    supplement
21. 21

    marine microalgae oil

    Plant-source omega-3 from algae. Useful especially in vegetarian or limited-fish formulas.

22. 22

    hydrolyzed yeast

    Yeast broken down with enzymes. Strong palatant plus a real source of B vitamins and amino acids.

23. 23

    dl-methionine

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

    supplement
24. 24

    zinc proteinate

    Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.

    mineral
25. 25

    zinc oxide

    Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.

Showing first 25 of 36. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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