Instinct Raw Boost Kibble DOG FOOD Review

With an average score of 4.8/10, Instinct Raw Boost Kibble Dog Food Is considered a high risk dog food. There are 16 recipes that average 32% protein and 29% average carbohydrate as calculated. 

The name Raw Boost is because there’s extra protein added in the form of freeze dried animal proteins. The manufacturer describes the food as “All natural freeze-dried raw bites protein packed with real meat raw pieces for raw nutrition and taste.” … but despite these added better quality ingredients, this line is still essentially kibble, and any benefit from the freeze dried ingredients would be reflected in the stated nutritional values. 

This line loses ingredient quality points for its high carbohydrate content which has a wide range from 20% for the Real Salmon Recipe up to 38% in the Salmon and Brown Rice Recipe and the Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe.

Product labeling states that these foods do not contain grain, potato, corn, wheat or soy, but they do include peas, tapioca, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, barley and oatmeal, which are starches that contribute to the carbohydrate level. Dogs have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrate, but starch is required for extrusion in dry foods like these. Excessive carbohydrate is an indicator of ingredient quality as it can be used to reduce manufacturing cost. Large amounts of starch can increase insulin levels, cause obesity and negatively impact gut balance. 

This line also loses significant ingredient quality points for added vitamins and minerals. Ideally, these nutrients should come from whole food sources so their inclusion is usually due to poor quality or overly processed raw ingredients. Vitamin and mineral excesses, especially vitamin D and copper, can also result from vitamin premixes.

These recipes use canola oil, which is a highly processed and inflammatory oil. Canola is also a well-known GMO crop. Seed oils are an inexpensive alternative to higher quality animal fats and oils. Plant proteins are also used, and are a less expensive substitute for quality animal protein. You want to see animal sources because they’re more digestible and  contain a wider array of amino acids than plant based protein sources.

The ingredient safety score is lower because, like all kibbles, Instinct Raw Boost is ultra-processed. The individual ingredients in dry dog foods are heated several times during processing, which can cause a significant loss of enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. Ultra processed foods are often supplemented as we see here. Processed foods are also linked to higher mortality rates in many species. As mentioned earlier, this line contains some added freeze-dried animal proteins, which are minimally processed and thus retain more nutrients. However any benefit from these ingredients would be reflected in the stated nutritional values.

Rounding out the ingredient safety scores, Instinct loses points for high pesticide or herbicide foods in the top five ingredients and for alfalfa, a known GMO ingredient. There are limited safety studies on genetically modified and Roundup Ready crops although they are lacking in nutrients compared to non-GMO foods. GMO crops also strip nutrients from soils, require increased pesticide risk and may be involved in bee die-off. 

This line also loses points for added natural flavor. This ingredient is often animal digest or MSG, both low quality ingredients with limited safety studies. The inclusion of rice is an ingredient safety concern because rice naturally absorbs arsenic and the water it’s grown in can be contaminated with arsenic. Arsenic is linked to chronic health issues.

It’s also worth noting that the 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.  

The recipes don’t lose points for this, but it should be pointed out that one recipe contains coconut oil which has been shown to cause undesirable changes in the gut lining. 

Some recipes include “glam” ingredients like apples, carrots and cranberries, which is also a concern. These ingredients are added to make consumers think the food has healthy additions rich in antioxidants or minerals. But they’re listed below the salt, which means they’re present in tiny amounts and won’t benefit your dog. 

This line has added probiotics but the amount of CFU is not guaranteed. 

Salmon in the recipes is wild caught. However there’s no indication whether non-salmon fish ingredients are farmed or wild-caught, so they’re likely farmed. Farmed fish is less nutritious, with a less favorable fatty acid balance. 

The label does not provide the omega-6:omega-3 ratio, which is a concern since AAFCO allows a very inflammatory ratio of 30:1.