Only Natural Pet Cold Pressed DOG FOOD Review

Only Natural Pet Cold Pressed dog food has a score of 6.5 and is considered a moderate risk dog food. There is a single recipe that averages 37% protein and 25% carbohydrate, as calculated. This is a decent amount of protein, but it’s a bit higher in carbohydrate than we would like to see, especially for a cold pressed food that doesn’t require starch in its processing. Foods that are rich in carbohydrate can increase insulin levels, increase the risk of obesity and cause unwanted changes to the gut microbiome.

This recipe has an extensive list of 17 dried fruits and vegetables that contribute to the carb content which is better than carbs from grains and starches. Normally these are considered glam ingredients as they are listed after salt on the ingredient panel so the quantities are small. However, because they are dried, they are in a concentrated form and less is required. And since there are only a few added vitamins or minerals, these fruits and vegetables apparently provide sufficient nutrition from whole foods.

The ingredient quality loses points for using plant protein and a seed oil. Plant proteins 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. This recipe contains sunflower oil, which is a highly processed and inflammatory oil. It’s an inexpensive alternative to higher quality animal fats and oils.

On the ingredient safety side, this recipe is cold pressed so it’s moderately processed and uses less heat than ultra-processed kibble that undergoes several high heat stages. Cold pressed processing involves taking ground ingredients and mixing them with cold water, cooking them quickly at low temperatures, and pressing them into the desired shape. This low temperature technique preserves nutrients like oils, enzymes, vitamins and minerals.

Ingredient safety loses points thanks to garbanzo beans which is a known high herbicide crop that’s found in the top 5 ingredients. Crops that are spray-dried with Roundup retain more glyphosate/herbicide residue than other crops, even genetically modified ones. Glyphosate is an antibiotic that can kill beneficial gut bacteria and has been linked to cancer and other diseases. It’s notable that there are no known GMO ingredients in this line. 

Lastly, this recipe loses a point for using natural flavor, which is added to make processed food more palatable. But natural flavor is often either MSG or animal digest, both low quality ingredients with limited safety studies.

It’s also worth noting that Only Natural Pets doesn’t state the omega 6:omega-3 ratio in their foods. While this is true of most companies, it’s unfortunate since AAFCO allows a very inflammatory limit of 30:1. The recipe also contains Menhaden fish meal and salmon oil, but it’s not stated whether the fish ingredients are wild caught or farmed.