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WholeHearted Dog Food Ingredients


According to our research, WholeHearted manufactures 66 dog food recipes using 190 unique ingredients. To evaluate the quality of ingredients used by WholeHearted, we've studied all 190 ingredients. In this article, we'll share our findings on WholeHearted ingredients.

Dog Food Recipes66
Unique Ingredients190
Artificial Colors0
Animal By-Products0
Anonymous Meats1
Controversial8
Harmful0

First 5 Ingredients

Dog food ingredients in the United States are listed in descending order of pre-cooked weight. The first 5 ingredients typically constitute a significant portion of the recipe.

For WholeHearted, these are the most common ingredients found within the first 5 dog food ingredients.

  1. chicken
  2. chicken broth
  3. lentil
  4. chickpea
  5. salt

As you can see, the most common first ingredient in WholeHearted is chicken. The most common 2nd ingredient is chicken broth, followed by lentil, chickpea, and salt.

Artificial Food Coloring Dyes

WholeHearted does not use any artificial food coloring dyes. According to our records, none of the 66 WholeHearted dog foods contain artificial food dyes.

Artificial food coloring dyes are unnecessary and potentially harmful ingredients. In general, we not not recommend feeding any pet foods that contain artificial dyes.

In 2010, the CSPI raised serious concerns regarding the safety of many artificial dyes. Most of the studies referenced by the CSPI involved prolonged or excessive consumption. Since most dogs consume the same foods throughout their lives, concerns raised by the CSPI are alarming to say the least.

To read more about Artificial Food Dyes, click here.

Animal By-Products

According to our records, WholeHearted does not contain any animal by-products.

Animal by-products are basically the leftover parts of the the carcass after its been processed for meat. AAFCO defines by-products as the non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals.

Although by-products are still fairly nutritious ingredients, consumers have equated them with slaughterhouse waste. Therefore, most premium brands, including WholeHearted have decided to remove by-products and instead use named organ meats (beef liver, chicken gizzards).

For further reading on the controversy over animal by-products, click here.

Anonymous Meat Ingredients

Anonymous meats are animal-based ingredients which do not provide the source animal's name. These ingredients are controversial because they can come from almost any animal.

In addition, anonymous animal-based ingredients are very inexpensive and often the lowest quality meats that are still allowed to be used in pet food.

In general, we do not recommend feeding any products which contain anonymous meats. When in doubt, always contact the brand's customer service desk for further clarification.

Unfortunately, we've identified 1 anonymous meat ingredient used by WholeHearted.

fish
1 Recipes

Fish is typically an excellent protein and fat source. However, the specific type of fish is not mentioned and therefore we cannot discuss any specific qualities of this ingredient. In general, anonymous ingredients are low quality inclusions when compared to ingredients such as mackerel, cod, salmon, etc.

The following recipes contain fish:

Controversial Ingredients

In most cases, ingredients which are given the controversial classification can be substituted with higher-quality alternatives. You should evaluate each controversial ingredient independently to see if there is truly a valid cause for concern.

Keep in mind, certain sacrifices often must be made to produce dog foods at a reasonable price. In general, the more expensive the product, the fewer controversial ingredients you'll find.

In our analysis, we've identified 8 controversial ingredients inside WholeHearted products. These controversial ingredients are listed below. Click on each ingredient for more information.

dried tomato pomace
2 Recipes

Dried tomato pomace is a by-product of tomato manufacturing. It's considered a controversial ingredient because many people believe it is an inexpensive low quality filler. However, tomato pomace provides a notable amount of dietary fiber, B vitamins, Lycopene, and vitamin A. Although it is a very inexpensive ingredient, it is not nutritionally empty.

The following recipes contain dried tomato pomace:

powdered cellulose
1 Recipes

Powdered cellulose is produced from minuscule pieces of wood pulp and plant fibers. Other than its fiber content, powdered cellulose lacks any nutritional contribution.

The following recipes contain powdered cellulose:

pea protein
20 Recipes

Pea protein is produced by removing the starchy parts of peas. Pea protein is considered controversial because it provides a substantial plant based protein boost. This boost is undesirable because plant based protein is typically lower in biological value when compared to meat based proteins.

The following recipes contain pea protein:

caramel color
4 Recipes

Caramel color is a concentrated form of caramel, a natural food colorant. Caramel color has been linked to cancer in laboratory animals. Since our pets do not care about food color, caramel color is an unnecessary addition with possible health risks.

The following recipes contain caramel color:

canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols)
12 Recipes
canola oil
3 Recipes

Canola oil is a plant-derived oil from the seeds of canola plants. Although fat is an essential component of any diet, canola oil is controversial in pet food. Proponents claim that canola oil provides a better fat profile in comparison to other plant based oils. However, opponents claim that canola oil is typically produced with genetically modified rapeseed and that rapeseed oil has multiple adverse health affects.

The following recipes contain canola oil:

beet pulp
1 Recipes

Beet pulp is the by-product which remains once sugar has been extracted from sugar beets. The primary contribution of beet pulp is dietary fiber.

We'd also like to note that beet pulp is fairly controversial in pet food. Proponents claim that beet pulp can promote intestinal health and regulate blood sugar. However, opponents claim that beet pulp is an inexpensive filler.

The following recipes contain beet pulp:

Potentially Harmful Ingredients

Harmful ingredients are those which have been linked to adverse health effects. In general, we do not recommend feeding any product which contains any harmful ingredients.

During our review, none of the WholeHearted ingredients analyzed were classified as harmful by our system. The absence of harmful ingredients is indicative of a relatively premium dog food brand.

WholeHearted Dog Food Ingredient Lists

WholeHearted

Dry Dog Food
Beef & Brown Rice Recipe
WholeHearted
Dry Dog Food Beef & Brown Rice Recipe
First Five Ingredients
beef
beef meal
brown rice
pea
millet

WholeHearted

Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Beef & Pea Recipe
WholeHearted
Grain Free Dry Dog Food Beef & Pea Recipe
First Five Ingredients
beef
beef meal
lentil
pea flour
chickpea

WholeHearted

Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Beef & Pea Recipe For Large Breed Dogs
WholeHearted
Grain Free Dry Dog Food Beef & Pea Recipe For Large Breed Dogs
First Five Ingredients
beef
beef meal
pea
lentil
chickpea

WholeHearted

Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Chicken & Pea Recipe
WholeHearted
Grain Free Dry Dog Food Chicken & Pea Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
lentil
pea flour
chickpea

WholeHearted

Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Chicken & Pea Recipe For Large Breed Dogs
WholeHearted
Grain Free Dry Dog Food Chicken & Pea Recipe For Large Breed Dogs
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
pea
chickpea
lentil

WholeHearted

Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Chicken & Pea Recipe For Puppies
WholeHearted
Grain Free Dry Dog Food Chicken & Pea Recipe For Puppies
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
pea
chickpea
lentil

WholeHearted

Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Chicken Recipe For Senior Dogs 7+
WholeHearted
Grain Free Dry Dog Food Chicken Recipe For Senior Dogs 7+
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
pea
pea flour
lentil

WholeHearted

Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Duck & Lentil Recipe
WholeHearted
Grain Free Dry Dog Food Duck & Lentil Recipe
First Five Ingredients
duck
duck meal
lentil
chickpea
pea

WholeHearted

Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Lamb & Lentil Recipe
WholeHearted
Grain Free Dry Dog Food Lamb & Lentil Recipe
First Five Ingredients
lamb
lamb meal
lentil
chickpea
pea

WholeHearted

Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Salmon & Pea Recipe
WholeHearted
Grain Free Dry Dog Food Salmon & Pea Recipe
First Five Ingredients
salmon
salmon meal
lentil
pea flour
chickpea

WholeHearted

Grain Free Small Breed
Beef & Pea Recipe For Adult Dogs
WholeHearted
Grain Free Small Breed Beef & Pea Recipe For Adult Dogs
First Five Ingredients
beef
beef meal
pea
lentil
pea flour

WholeHearted

Grain Free Small Breed
Beef & Pea Recipe For Puppies
WholeHearted
Grain Free Small Breed Beef & Pea Recipe For Puppies
First Five Ingredients
beef
beef meal
pea
lentil
pea flour

WholeHearted

Grain Free Small Breed
Chicken & Pea Recipe For Adult Dogs
WholeHearted
Grain Free Small Breed Chicken & Pea Recipe For Adult Dogs
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
pea
chickpea
lentil

WholeHearted

Grain Free Small Breed
Salmon & Pea Recipe
WholeHearted
Grain Free Small Breed Salmon & Pea Recipe
First Five Ingredients
salmon
salmon meal
pea
lentil
pea flour

WholeHearted

Healthy Benefits
Easy Digestion Potato & Egg Product Recipe
WholeHearted
Healthy Benefits Easy Digestion Potato & Egg Product Recipe
First Five Ingredients
potato
egg product
potato protein
dried beet pulp
chicken fat

WholeHearted

Healthy Benefits
Skin & Coat Care Pea & Salmon Recipe
WholeHearted
Healthy Benefits Skin & Coat Care Pea & Salmon Recipe
First Five Ingredients
pea
pea flour
salmon hydrolysate
sunflower oil
flaxseed

WholeHearted

Healthy Benefits
Weight Control Lamb Meal & Pea Recipe
WholeHearted
Healthy Benefits Weight Control Lamb Meal & Pea Recipe
First Five Ingredients
lamb meal
pea
chickpea
lentil
sweet potato

WholeHearted

Limited Ingredient
Duck Recipe For Dogs
WholeHearted
Limited Ingredient Duck Recipe For Dogs
First Five Ingredients
duck
duck meal
lentil
chickpea
canola oil

WholeHearted

Limited Ingredient
Lamb Recipe For Dogs
WholeHearted
Limited Ingredient Lamb Recipe For Dogs
First Five Ingredients
lamb
lamb meal
lentil
chickpea
dried yeast

WholeHearted

Limited Ingredient
Salmon Recipe For Dogs
WholeHearted
Limited Ingredient Salmon Recipe For Dogs
First Five Ingredients
salmon
salmon meal
lentil
chickpea
canola oil

WholeHearted

Limited Ingredient
Salmon Recipe For Small Breed Dogs
WholeHearted
Limited Ingredient Salmon Recipe For Small Breed Dogs
First Five Ingredients
salmon
salmon meal
lentil
chickpea
canola oil

WholeHearted

Dry Dog Food
Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe
WholeHearted
Dry Dog Food Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
brown rice
millet
rice bran

WholeHearted

Grain Free Small Breed
Chicken Dinner Minced In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Small Breed Chicken Dinner Minced In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
carrot
pea
tapioca starch

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Dog Food
Chicken Dinner Minced In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Dog Food Chicken Dinner Minced In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
carrot
pea
tapioca starch

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Dog Food
Chicken & Fish Recipe
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Dog Food Chicken & Fish Recipe
First Five Ingredients
fish broth
chicken
chicken broth
ocean fish
dried egg product

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Dog Food
Chicken & Vegetables Recipe
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Dog Food Chicken & Vegetables Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken broth
chicken
carrot
dried egg whites
dried egg product

WholeHearted

Healthy Benefits
Easy Digestion Chicken Recipe
WholeHearted
Healthy Benefits Easy Digestion Chicken Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
potato
chicken liver
fish

WholeHearted

Grain Free Small Breed
Beef & Chicken Dinner Minced In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Small Breed Beef & Chicken Dinner Minced In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
beef
beef broth
chicken
chicken broth
carrot

WholeHearted

Grain Free Small Breed
Chicken & Duck Dinner Minced In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Small Breed Chicken & Duck Dinner Minced In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
duck
carrot
pea

WholeHearted

Grain Free Small Breed
Chicken & Salmon Dinner Minced In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Small Breed Chicken & Salmon Dinner Minced In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
salmon
carrot
pea

WholeHearted

Grain Free Small Breed
Chicken & Whitefish Dinner Minced In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Small Breed Chicken & Whitefish Dinner Minced In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
whitefish
carrot
pea

WholeHearted

Grain Free Small Breed
Lamb & Chicken Dinner Minced In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Small Breed Lamb & Chicken Dinner Minced In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
lamb
lamb broth
chicken
chicken broth
carrot

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Dog Food
Beef & Chicken Dinner Minced In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Dog Food Beef & Chicken Dinner Minced In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
beef
beef broth
chicken
chicken broth
carrot

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Dog Food
Beef & Vegetables Recipe
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Dog Food Beef & Vegetables Recipe
First Five Ingredients
beef
beef broth
lamb broth
beef liver
carrot

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Dog Food
Chicken & Duck Dinner Minced In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Dog Food Chicken & Duck Dinner Minced In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
duck
carrot
pea

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Dog Food
Chicken & Salmon Dinner Minced In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Dog Food Chicken & Salmon Dinner Minced In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
salmon
carrot
pea

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Dog Food
Chicken & Vegetables Recipe For Puppies
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Dog Food Chicken & Vegetables Recipe For Puppies
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
fish broth
chicken liver
dried egg product

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Dog Food
Chicken & Whitefish Dinner Minced In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Dog Food Chicken & Whitefish Dinner Minced In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
whitefish
carrot
pea

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Dog Food
Lamb & Carrot Recipe
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Dog Food Lamb & Carrot Recipe
First Five Ingredients
lamb
lamb broth
water sufficient for processing
lamb liver
dried egg product

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Dog Food
Lamb & Chicken Dinner Minced In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Dog Food Lamb & Chicken Dinner Minced In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
lamb
lamb broth
chicken
chicken broth
carrot

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Dog Food
Turkey & Sweet Potato Recipe
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Dog Food Turkey & Sweet Potato Recipe
First Five Ingredients
turkey broth
turkey
chicken liver
dried egg whites
sweet potato

WholeHearted

Healthy Benefits
Easy Digestion Boiled Chicken Dinner In Broth
WholeHearted
Healthy Benefits Easy Digestion Boiled Chicken Dinner In Broth
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
water
carrot
pumpkin

WholeHearted

Healthy Benefits
Skin & Coat Care Turkey Recipe
WholeHearted
Healthy Benefits Skin & Coat Care Turkey Recipe
First Five Ingredients
turkey
turkey broth
potato
turkey liver
pea flour

WholeHearted

Meal Toppers
Grain Free Beef Recipe In Gravy
WholeHearted
Meal Toppers Grain Free Beef Recipe In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
water
beef
sunflower oil
tapioca starch
salt

WholeHearted

Meal Toppers
Grain Free Chicken Recipe In Gravy
WholeHearted
Meal Toppers Grain Free Chicken Recipe In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
water
chicken
sunflower oil
tapioca starch
salt

WholeHearted

Meal Toppers
Grain Free Lamb Recipe In Gravy
WholeHearted
Meal Toppers Grain Free Lamb Recipe In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
water
lamb
sunflower oil
tapioca starch
salt

WholeHearted

Meal Toppers
Grain Free Pumpkin Soup Puree
WholeHearted
Meal Toppers Grain Free Pumpkin Soup Puree
First Five Ingredients
pumpkin
water

WholeHearted

Meal Toppers
Grain Free Whitefish Recipe In Gravy
WholeHearted
Meal Toppers Grain Free Whitefish Recipe In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
water
whitefish
sunflower oil
tapioca starch
salt

WholeHearted

Soft & Chewy Training Treats
Peanut Butter Recipe
WholeHearted
Soft & Chewy Training Treats Peanut Butter Recipe
First Five Ingredients
dry roasted peanut
hydrogenated cottonseed oil
hydrogenated rapeseed oil
salt
tapioca starch

WholeHearted

Crunchy Treats
Grain Free Blueberry & Yogurt Flavor
WholeHearted
Crunchy Treats Grain Free Blueberry & Yogurt Flavor
First Five Ingredients
pea flour
tapioca starch
chickpea
blueberry
yogurt

WholeHearted

Crunchy Treats
Peanut Butter Flavor
WholeHearted
Crunchy Treats Peanut Butter Flavor
First Five Ingredients
pea flour
tapioca starch
chickpea
peanut
palm oil

WholeHearted

Crunchy Treats
Pumpkin & Cinnamon Flavor
WholeHearted
Crunchy Treats Pumpkin & Cinnamon Flavor
First Five Ingredients
pea flour
tapioca starch
chickpea
pumpkin
ground flaxseed

WholeHearted

Jerky Treats
Beef Recipe
WholeHearted
Jerky Treats Beef Recipe
First Five Ingredients
beef
dried cultured skim milk
vegetable glycerin
ascorbic acid
salt

WholeHearted

Jerky Treats
Chicken Recipe
WholeHearted
Jerky Treats Chicken Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
vegetable glycerin
dried cultured skim milk
ascorbic acid
salt

WholeHearted

Jerky Treats
Chicken Recipe For Hip & Joint Support
WholeHearted
Jerky Treats Chicken Recipe For Hip & Joint Support
First Five Ingredients
chicken
liquid egg product
dried cultured skim milk
vegetable glycerin
glucosamine hydrochloride

WholeHearted

Jerky Treats
Chicken Recipe For Skin & Coat Support
WholeHearted
Jerky Treats Chicken Recipe For Skin & Coat Support
First Five Ingredients
chicken
liquid egg product
dried cultured skim milk
vegetable glycerin
ascorbic acid

WholeHearted

Jerky Treats
Duck Recipe
WholeHearted
Jerky Treats Duck Recipe
First Five Ingredients
duck
dried cultured skim milk
vegetable glycerin
ascorbic acid
salt

WholeHearted

Jerky Treats
Lamb Recipe
WholeHearted
Jerky Treats Lamb Recipe
First Five Ingredients
lamb
dried cultured skim milk
vegetable glycerin
ascorbic acid
salt

WholeHearted

Jerky Treats
Salmon Recipe For Skin & Coat Support
WholeHearted
Jerky Treats Salmon Recipe For Skin & Coat Support
First Five Ingredients
salmon
dried cultured skim milk
ascorbic acid
vegetable glycerin
salt

WholeHearted

Soft & Chewy Stick Treats
Chicken Recipe
WholeHearted
Soft & Chewy Stick Treats Chicken Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
vegetable glycerin
pea protein
natural smoke flavor
chicken fat

WholeHearted

Soft & Chewy Training Treats
Beef Recipe
WholeHearted
Soft & Chewy Training Treats Beef Recipe
First Five Ingredients
beef
tapioca starch
dried chickpea
pea flour
vegetable glycerin

WholeHearted

Soft & Chewy Training Treats
Chicken Recipe
WholeHearted
Soft & Chewy Training Treats Chicken Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
tapioca starch
dried chickpea
pea flour
vegetable glycerin

WholeHearted

Soft & Chewy Training Treats
Salmon Recipe
WholeHearted
Soft & Chewy Training Treats Salmon Recipe
First Five Ingredients
salmon
tapioca starch
dried chickpea
pea flour
vegetable glycerin

WholeHearted

Crunchy Clovers
Bacon & Cheese Flavor
WholeHearted
Crunchy Clovers Bacon & Cheese Flavor
First Five Ingredients
pea flour
tapioca starch
chickpea
bacon
dried cheese

WholeHearted

Soft & Chewy Stick Treats
Bacon Recipe
WholeHearted
Soft & Chewy Stick Treats Bacon Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
bacon
vegetable glycerin
pea protein
bacon fat

WholeHearted

Soft & Chewy Stick Treats
Beef Recipe
WholeHearted
Soft & Chewy Stick Treats Beef Recipe
First Five Ingredients
beef
vegetable glycerin
pea protein
natural smoke flavor
mixed tocopherols