Food scores are based on ingredient quality and safety. For more information, view our evaluation criteria.
With an average score of 4.6, Nulo Medal Series Dry is considered a high risk dog food. There are 21 recipes that average 29% protein and 32% average carbohydrate as calculated.
This line loses food quality points for its high carbohydrate content. Dogs have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrate but starch is required for extrusion in dry foods like these. Excessive carbohydrate like legumes and starches are an indicator of low quality foods as they are used to keep costs down. Large amounts of starch can increase insulin levels, cause obesity and negatively impact gut balance.
This line also loses significant ingredient quality points for 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 raw 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 kibbles, Nulo Medal Series Dry 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.
Rounding out the food safety scores, the line loses points for high pesticide or herbicide foods in the top 5 ingredients. This 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.
The inclusion of “glam” ingredients like sweet fennel, chamomile and dandelion is also a concern. These ingredients are added to make consumers think the food has healthy ingredients. But they’re listed below the salt, which means they’re present in tiny amounts and won’t benefit your dog.
There’s also a concern about ingredient splitting in these foods. This is the practice of splitting ingredients into sub-categories (like different pea ingredients) to make them appear lower in the ingredient list. It’s often done to disguise the amount of lower quality ingredients in the food. Some recipes contain coconut oil, which is a concern as it may affect gut health.
It’s worth noting that Nulo adds and guarantees a decent amount of probiotics in the food.
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.
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