BLUE Buffalo FREEDOM DRY DOG FOOD Review

Blue Freedom is a grain-free line of foods. It has a score of 2.3 and is considered a very high risk dog food. There are 10 recipes that average 23.7% protein, and 39.6% carbohydrate as calculated.  

These foods lose ingredient quality points for high carbohydrate levels. Dogs have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrates but they’re added to dog foods for energy, texture and taste. Starch is also required for extrusion in dry foods. Excessive carbohydrate is an indicator of food quality as it can be used to reduce manufacturing cost. Foods that are high in carbohydrates can raise insulin and cause obesity. Some studies also show that dogs fed a high carbohydrate content have changes to their gut bacteria. This is a grain-free food and the company states they don’t include corn, wheat or soy in any of their foods. However, they do include other high starch ingredients like potatoes, tapioca, peas and sweet potatoes in the Blue Freedom recipes, so they aren’t starch- or carb-free. 

These recipes contain added vitamins and minerals. It’s preferred that these important nutrients come from whole food sources that include the full spectrum of cofactors, which makes them safe and bioavailable. While a couple of added vitamins and minerals are acceptable, five or more implies the food is of poor nutritional value. 

Several recipes also have 2 or more added amino acids. Multiple amino acids are typically only found in lower quality foods that rely on incomplete plant sources of protein and have lower animal protein. 

Other quality concerns include the use of plant protein and an unnamed fish oil. Plant-based protein sources are the least expensive substitute for quality animal protein. Animal sources of protein are preferred because they contain a wider array of amino acids and are more digestible. Using an unspecified fish is a less expensive source of protein or fat. You want to see beef, salmon or chicken, not animal, fish or poultry. Unnamed protein sources are of much lower quality, especially meals, which are typically from rendered waste. 

Dry kibble dog foods are ultra processed so they lose points for safety. Extruded foods are heated four separate times during production, which will cause major losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients.  

Additional safety concerns are the use of ingredients like peas and potatoes which are known to contain higher pesticide/herbicide residues. These are also found in the top 5 ingredients, making them a greater concern. Potatoes are also a known GMO ingredient. Natural flavor is also used. This is often animal digest or MSG, low quality ingredients with limited safety studies.  

These recipes also include glam ingredients like fruit that are listed after salt, which means they’re included in minimal amounts that don’t provide any nutritional benefit. 

There is also ingredient splitting in the recipes. This is the practice of splitting ingredients into subcategories to make them appear lower on the list, and it can also move more desirable protein ingredients higher. 

It’s also worth noting that this line contains sodium selenite as a source of selenium. Dogs need selenium, and it’s usually added in very small amounts. However some research suggests that sodium selenite may be associated with potential toxicity, so selenium yeast is the preferred form of this mineral.

Finally, it’s not stated for the Life Protection line whether fish in the recipes is farmed or wild caught. Wild caught fish is more nutritious and has a better fatty acid balance providing healthy omega-3s. 

Blue Buffalo doesn’t provide the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. This is important to know since diets rich in omega-6 fats can cause chronic inflammation and disease, and AAFCO allows a very high ratio of 30:1.