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Pure Balance vs The Honest Kitchen

Pure Balance vs. The Honest Kitchen

In this comparison article for Pure Balance vs The Honest Kitchen, we'll highlight the key differences between these two pet food brands. To properly compare Pure Balance and The Honest Kitchen, we'll use up-to-date nutritional and price information.

There are many factors to consider when choosing the best pet food brand for your pet. Factors such as ingredient quality, guaranteed analysis, product safety, brand history, and cost are among the most important factors to consider.

Throughout this The Honest Kitchen vs Pure Balance comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons. If you'd like to see individual product reviews, visit our Pure Balance Review Page or The Honest Kitchen Review Page.

Guaranteed Analysis: The Honest Kitchen vs. Pure Balance

According to AAFCO, all pet food labels must provide a guaranteed analysis of nutrient content. The analysis must provide guaranteed minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture.

All percentages used in this comparison are averages reported on a dry matter basis.

Pure Balance Dog Food vs. The Honest Kitchen Dog Food

Dry Dog FoodPure BalanceThe Honest Kitchen
Crude Protein29.2%29.3%
Crude Fat16.7%15.7%
Crude Fiber5.6%6.3%
Wet/Canned Dog FoodPure BalanceThe Honest Kitchen
Crude Protein34.6%50.4%
Crude Fat24.6%24.5%
Crude Fiber7.2%5.1%

Crude Protein Comparison For Dog Food

Dogs require twenty-two amino acids to sustain life. Twelve of these amino acids are synthesized naturally, the remaining ten are consumed. Protein is the nutrient which provides some or all of these ten essential amino acids.

There is a relatively insignificant difference between the crude protein content of the two brands. For wet dog foods, The Honest Kitchen provides significantly more protein (about 15.86% more).


Crude Fat Comparison For Dog Food

Fats are an absolutely vital component of a balanced canine diet. Not only do fats provide energy, but they also serve important roles in the normal development and function of your dog's body. For example, fats help dogs produce prostaglandins, which reduce inflammation among many other significant functions.

Both brands provide roughly the same amount of crude fat. With regards to wet dog food, Pure Balance and The Honest Kitchen also provide roughly the same amount of crude fat.


As you can see, Pure Balance and The Honest Kitchen guarantee a similar amount of crude fiber. For wet dog foods, Pure Balance typically provides a little more fiber (about 2.11% more).

Pure Balance Cat Food vs. The Honest Kitchen Cat Food

Dry Cat FoodPure BalanceThe Honest Kitchen
Crude Protein39.9%40.4%
Crude Fat17.7%23.1%
Crude Fiber5.9%3.5%
Wet/Canned Cat FoodPure BalanceThe Honest Kitchen
Crude Protein42.0%52.0%
Crude Fat25.4%24.6%
Crude Fiber7.2%5.1%

Crude Protein Comparison For Cat Food

Cats require twenty-two amino acids to sustain life. Eleven of these amino acids are synthesized naturally, the remaining eleven are consumed. Protein is the nutrient which provides some or all of these eleven essential amino acids.

Pure Balance and The Honest Kitchen both provide roughly the same amount of crude protein. For wet cat foods, The Honest Kitchen provides significantly more protein (about 10.00% more).


Crude Fat Comparison For Cat Food

There are many ways in which dietary fat contributes to the overall health of our feline friends. Here is a short list of benefits provided by fats (not exhaustive):

  • Fats help with the digestion and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
  • Reduce inflammation associated with arthritis
  • Slow the growth of yeast infections
  • Prevent or reduce the likelihood of certain heart problems.
  • Aid in the development of the retina and visual cortex.

There is a relatively large difference between the fat content of The Honest Kitchen and Pure Balance. On average, Pure Balance dry cat food recipes contain 5.39% less fat than The Honest Kitchen recipes. For wet cat foods, Pure Balance and The Honest Kitchen provide roughly the same amount of fat.


There is a small difference between the fiber content of Pure Balance and The Honest Kitchen. We can see that Pure Balance guarantees about 2.45% more fiber than The Honest Kitchen. In addition, Pure Balance wet cat foods also provide more fiber than The Honest Kitchen wet foods.

Pure Balance Pet Food Ingredients vs. The Honest Kitchen Pet Food Ingredients

Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Pure Balance.

Canola Oil
Pea Protein
Brewers Rice
Garlic Powder
Pea Protein Concentrate
Animal Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)
Poultry Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)

Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by The Honest Kitchen.

Dried Garlic

We believe that certain pet food ingredients are linked to adverse health affects; these ingredients are classified as harmful.

Here are some of the harmful ingredients used only by Pure Balance.

Added Color
Menadione Sodium Bisulfate Complex
Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex

Product Safety: Recall History of Pure Balance & The Honest Kitchen?

According to our records, Pure Balance has never been recalled.

The Honest Kitchen has been recalled once.

  • Feb. 21, 2013: Salmonella

Disclosure: PawDiet has an affiliate relationship with stores featured (or linked-to) in this article. We are compensated for referring customers. Thank you for shopping with our retail partners!

Where To Buy Pure Balance Pet Foods

You can purchase Pure Balance pet foods from the following stores:


Where To Buy The Honest Kitchen Pet Foods

You can purchase The Honest Kitchen pet food products from these retailers:


84 Recipes In-Stock Today

26 Recipes In-Stock Today

23 Recipes In-Stock Today

22 Recipes In-Stock Today

Type Of Pet Foods Available

ProductPure BalanceThe Honest Kitchen
Dry Dog Food7 Recipes9 Recipes
Wet Dog Food15 Recipes10 Recipes
Dog TreatsNone23 Treats
Dry Cat Food5 Recipes3 Recipes
Wet Cat Food4 Recipes10 Recipes
Cat Treats3 Treats3 Treats

Top Rated Pure Balance Recipes

Dog Food
Pure Balance
Wild & Free Grain Free Formula - Bison, Pea & Venison Recipe
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Dog Food
Pure Balance
Canned Dog Food Turkey & Chicken Recipe For Adult Dogs
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Cat Food
Pure Balance
Wild & Free High Protein Salmon Recipe For Cats
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Cat Food
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High Protein Grain Free Chicken & Turkey Recipe In Sauce For Cats
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Top Rated The Honest Kitchen Recipes

Dog Food
The Honest Kitchen
Dehydrated Dog Food Whole Grain Chicken Recipe
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Dog Food
The Honest Kitchen
Butcher Block Beef, Lamb & Spring Veggies Pate For Dogs
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Cat Food
The Honest Kitchen
Whole Food Clusters Grain Free Turkey & Chicken Recipe For Cats
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Cat Food
The Honest Kitchen
Câté Grain Free Beef & Chicken Recipe For Cats
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