Nature’s Variety ORIGINAL MEDIUM/MAXI TUNA

Brand: Nature's Variety, Original Dry

Overall Score

The overall score is an average of the ingredient quality and ingredient safety concerns. For more information, see our evaluation criteria.

Nature’s Variety ORIGINAL MEDIUM/MAXI TUNA

Overall Score

The overall score is an average of the ingredient quality and ingredient safety concerns. For more information, see our evaluation criteria.

Brand: Nature's Variety, Original Dry

Ingredient Quality

5 out of 10

Evalutation Criteria

Product is calculated to contain 45% carbohydrate ^ⓘDogs have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrate but they are used 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 carbohydrate can raise insulin and cause obesity. Some studies also show that dogs fed a high carbohydrate content have changes to their gut bacteria. Learn more
Contains unspecified animal sources, which are a less expensive source of meat ^ⓘWhile protein from animal sources is an important ingredient that’s highly digestible, the animal source should be named. You will 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. Learn more
Product contains ingredients that are high in sugar including ______ ^ⓘSugar is often found in pet food to increase the palatability or as a preservative or humectant. It is a low quality ingredient that can cause unwanted gut changes, obesity and insulin spikes. Learn more

Ingredient Safety

3 out of 10

Evalutation Criteria

Product is ultra processed ^ⓘExtruded foods are heated four separate times during production, which will cause major losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. Studies shows that ultra processed foods are linked to a higher rate of all-cause mortality in humans. Learn more
Contains rice ^ⓘArsenic contamination is a significant concern with rice since it naturally absorbs arsenic and the water it's grown in can be contaminated with arsenic. Arsenic is linked to chronic health issues. Learn more
Contains ingredients known to contain higher pesticide/herbicide residues in the top 5 ingredients including oats and peas ^ⓘPesticides, herbicides and fertilizers pose a significant health risk to plants, animals and soils. Foods with the largest reported amount of residue will be penalized, including crops that are known to be spray-dried with glyphosate. Learn more
Contains known GMO ingredients including apple ^ⓘThere are limited safetey studies on geneticaly 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. Learn more

Other Concerns

Notable product facts

Ingredient splitting ^ⓘSplitting is a technique of manipulating the ingredient list to move certain ingredients higher or lower on the ingredient list. This is often used to diguise the amount of lower quality ingredients in the food, such as corn or peas. Learn more
Omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is not provided. ^ⓘDiets rich in omega-6 fats can cause chronic inflammation and disease. Learn more
Product doesn't specify whether the fish is farmed or wild caught ^ⓘFarmed fish is less nutritious than wild caught fish and does not contain the same healthy fatty acid balance. Fish farming also threatens wild fish species. Learn more

How It Compares

Food Type

Food Function

Life Stage

Ingredients On Package

Deboned tuna* (21%), brown rice* (14%), oats* (13%), dried tuna protein (12.5%), dried peas* (12.5%), poultry fat* (7%), maize protein, dried salmon protein (4%), protein hydrolysate (4%), beet pulp*, dried carrot* (0.5% equivalent to 4% of fresh carrot), dried apple* (0.3% equivalent to 2% fresh apple), minerals., *Natural ingredients

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein (min)	28%
Crude Fat (min)	16%
Crude Fiber (max)	3%

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