Be Natural is a line of five kibbles built around grain. Each recipe opens with a named meat or fish, then chicken meal, then a mix of barley, oatmeal, brown rice or sorghum. Chicken and fish appear in all five recipes, turkey in three, lamb in two and beef in one, so none of them is a single animal protein food.
The recipes sit close together. Protein runs from 25% to 26% as fed, fat from 14% to 18%, and estimated starch from 37% to 40%. Calories range from 418 to 468 kcal per cup, with the Puppy recipe at the top. None of the five contains peas, lentils or potato.
Against the catalog average for kibble, the line averages a little less protein (25.2% vs 26.9%), a little more estimated starch (38.5% vs 37.4%) and more calories per cup (433 vs 395). The trade-off is a grain based kibble that packs more calories per cup and has moderate protein, with chicken in every bag.
| Recipe | Protein | Fat | Starch | Kcal / cup | First ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Lamb & Oatmeal Recipe | 26% | 15.5% | 37.5% | 418 | Lamb, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal |
| Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe | 25% | 14% | 40% | 428 | Chicken, Chicken Meal, Barley |
| Real Beef & Barley Recipe | 25% | 15% | 39% | 429 | Beef, Chicken Meal, Barley |
| Real Salmon & Brown Rice Recipe | 25% | 15% | 39% | 423 | Salmon, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal |
| Puppy Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe | 25% | 18% | 37% | 468 | Chicken, Chicken Meal, Barley |
| Line average | 25.2% | 15.5% | 38.5% | 433 |
All figures as fed, from the guaranteed analysis on each label. Starch is our estimate, since no bag prints it. Highest in the line is marked in bold, lowest in italics.
26% protein · 15.5% fat · 37.5% starch · 418 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
Lamb leads this recipe, followed by chicken meal, oatmeal, barley and sorghum, and at 26% it has the most protein in the line. It also has the fewest calories at 418 kcal per cup, which suits owners who want a lamb kibble with a slightly lower calorie count.
Full review of Real Lamb & Oatmeal Recipe25% protein · 14% fat · 40% starch · 428 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
This adult chicken recipe has the least fat in the line at 14% and the most estimated starch at 40%, with barley and sorghum right after the chicken. It also includes turkey and fish and suits owners who want the lowest fat level in this line.
Full review of Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe25% protein · 15% fat · 39% starch · 429 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
The only Be Natural kibble with beef, which leads an ingredient list that continues with chicken meal, barley, oatmeal and brown rice. It carries four animal proteins (beef, chicken, turkey and fish) at 25% protein and 15% fat, for owners looking for a beef recipe.
Full review of Real Beef & Barley Recipe25% protein · 15% fat · 39% starch · 423 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
Salmon leads this recipe, and it has the shortest list of animal proteins in the line: just fish and chicken, with no turkey. At 25% protein, 15% fat and 423 kcal per cup, it suits owners who want a fish first kibble with fewer animal sources.
Full review of Real Salmon & Brown Rice Recipe25% protein · 18% fat · 37% starch · 468 kcal/cup · Puppy
The only recipe in the line sold for puppies, it has the most fat at 18%, the most calories at 468 kcal per cup and the least estimated starch at 37%. Its animal proteins are chicken, fish and lamb, with no turkey, which suits owners raising a puppy.
Full review of Puppy Real Chicken & Brown Rice RecipeNo. All five recipes contain grain, such as barley, oatmeal, brown rice or sorghum. None of them contains peas, lentils or potato.
Real Lamb & Oatmeal Recipe has the most protein at 26%. The other four recipes, including Real Beef & Barley and Real Salmon & Brown Rice, are at 25%.
No. Chicken meal is the second ingredient in every recipe, including Real Beef & Barley, Real Salmon & Brown Rice and Real Lamb & Oatmeal.
Protein runs lower than the average kibble we review (28.0% vs 30.1% on a dry matter basis).
100% of recipes lead with a meat, fish or egg ingredient (89% across the site).
0% of recipes are grain-free.
this range, lowest to highest its average average of all 3,215 foods we review
Starch is our estimate from the guaranteed analysis, since no manufacturer prints it. How we work it out
Share of recipes that list each animal protein as an ingredient, not counting oils, fats or flavorings. Useful if your dog has a food sensitivity.
These are not unsafe. They are listed because readers ask about them.
Instinct® Raw Chicken Formula for dogs
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