NATURE'S DIET FREEZE-DRIED DOG FOOD Review

Nature’s Diet freeze-dried line ranks as low risk with a score of 8. No points are deducted for minimal processing. But the line  loses safety points for the use of foods known to contain higher pesticide/herbicide residues including peas, apples, spinach and kale. Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers pose a significant health risk to plants, animals and soils. Foods with the largest reported amount of residue are penalized, including crops that are known to be spray-dried with glyphosate. 

Another shortfall is the moderate carb content, although it should be noted there are no grains or legumes in these recipes. That means carbs come from fruits and vegetables.

A point is lost due to the addition of vitamins. When vitamins and minerals come from whole food sources, they include the full spectrum of cofactors, which makes them safe and bioavailable. While a couple of added vitamins are acceptable, five or more implies the food is of poor nutritional value. In this case, the Freeze-Dried Raw is only slightly over that threshold as it only includes 6 additional vitamins. This line contains selenium yeast as a source of selenite, which is the preferred form of this mineral. 

Fish oil is added to the freeze-dried foods but it’s not named. It would be preferable to specify the type of fish oil (such as salmon or herring, for example). There’s also no indication whether it’s from wild-caught or farmed fish. Wild-caught fish are more nutritious and have a better fatty acid balance than farmed, so farmed fish oil may not provide the omega-3 fatty acids your dog needs. 

The line does contain added probiotics but the amount of CFU (colony forming units) isn’t guaranteed. In a kibble that undergoes high heat processing, the probiotics may not survive. 

Nature’s Diet doesn’t list the omega-6:omega-3 ratio. It’s important to know this as AAFCO allows a very inflammatory ratio of 30:1.