Nulo Freestyle Canned DOG FOOD Review

With an average score of 6.6, Nulo Freestyle wet is considered a moderate risk dog food. There are 11 recipes that average 46% protein and 11% carbohydrate as calculated, on a dry matter basis. This lower carbohydrate level is what we expect to see in canned dog food. However one of the foods, The Freestyle Trim Turkey And Cod Recipe, has higher carbs of 23% which cost a point. Large amounts of starch can increase insulin levels, cause obesity and negatively impact gut balance.

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

The food safety score is lower because, like all canned foods, Nulo Freestyle Wet is highly processed, and is heated before and during canning, leading to nutrient losses. 

Rounding out the food safety scores, the line  loses points for high pesticide or herbicide foods in the top 5 ingredients in some recipes. The line also loses points for added natural flavor. This ingredient is often animal digest or MSG, which are both low quality ingredients with limited safety studies.

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.  

There’s no indication whether fish ingredients are farmed or wild-caught. 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.