Natural Balance Platefulls Cod, Chicken, Sole & Shrimp Formula In Gravy Review

This product is manufactured by Natural Balance Pet Foods. Natural Balance Pet Foods is a subsidiary of Big Heart Pet Brands. In addition to Natural Balance, Big Heart Pet Brands also owns Nature's Recipe, Milk Bone, Meaty Bone, Meow Mix, PupPeroni, Ally Cat, and several other brands.

According to our data, this Natural Balance recipe provides complete & balanced nutrition for the maintenance of adult cats. In other words, this formula is AAFCO approved.

Natural Balance Platefulls Cod, Chicken, Sole & Shrimp Formula In Gravy is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for the maintenance of adult cats.

Ingredient Review

We'll begin this review of Natural Balance Platefulls Cod, Chicken, Sole & Shrimp Formula In Gravy with a detailed discussion of the ingredients.

The first ingredient is fish broth. Fish broth provides both flavor and moisture; however, as with other broths, fish broth does not provide any notable nutritional contribution.

The second ingredient is cod. Although cod is an excellent protein and omega-3 fatty acid source, raw cod contains more than 60% moisture. After cooking, the relative meat contribution of cod is dramatically reduced. Therefore, it's important to ensure that other meat sources are included within the first few ingredients to ensure the product derives most of its protein from meat.

The third ingredient is chicken liver. Chicken liver is an excellent organ meat which provides high quality protein and fat. In addition, chicken liver provides many essential vitamins and minerals.

The fourth ingredient is chicken, which is an excellent source of protein and fat.

The fifth ingredient is carrot. Carrots are naturally rich in many vitamins and minerals.

Because ingredients are listed in order of pre-cooked weight, the remaining ingredients in Natural Balance Platefulls Cod, Chicken, Sole & Shrimp Formula In Gravy are not as important as the first five ingredients.

However, collectively they still have a significant impact on the overall quality of the product. Therefore, we'll continue discussing the remaining ingredients in this Natural Balance recipe.

Next we have sole. Sole is a species of flatfish (also classified as a whitefish). Although sole is an excellent protein and fat source, raw sole contains more than 60% moisture. After cooking, the relative meat contribution of sole is dramatically reduced. Therefore, it's important to ensure that other meat sources are included within the first few ingredients to ensure the product derives most of its protein from meat.

The next ingredient is shrimp. Although shrimp is an excellent protein and omega-3 fatty acid source, raw shrimp contains more than 60% moisture. After cooking, the relative meat contribution of shrimp is dramatically reduced. Therefore, it's important to ensure that other meat sources are included within the first few ingredients to ensure the product derives most of its protein from meat.

Then we have pea. Peas are starchy members of the legume family. Other than carbohydrates, peas are notably high in plant based protein and various vitamins and minerals.

Moving on, we have dried egg whites. Dried egg whites consist of shell-free egg whites, which are easy to digest and contain high quality protein. Egg protein is often given the highest biological value (BV). The BV metric measures the usability of the ingredient's protein.

Moving on with this review, we have dried ground pea. Dried ground peas are naturally rich in an important antioxidant called beta carotene which is a precursor to vitamin A. Dried peas also provide dietary fiber and a notable amount of plant based protein.

The next ingredient in this review is potato starch. Potato starch is a gluten-free ingredient extracted from potatoes. Unlike whole potatoes, the starch itself does not provide a notable amount of nutrition.

Our next ingredient is natural flavor. Unlike artificial flavoring, natural flavoring is produced using plants and/or animal parts.

guar gum is the next ingredient in this recipe. Guar gum (or guaran) is obtained from guar beans which have been dehusked, milled and screened. It's commonly used in wet food products as a thickening agent and provides a notable amount of dietary fiber.

Next on the list is canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols). Because canola oil is actually an improved rapeseed oil, many people are wary of its nutritional impacts.

The next ingredient in this recipe is salmon meal. Salmon meal is produced by cooking salmon using a process called rendering. The rendering process dramatically reduces the natural moisture of salmon and thereby results in a highly condensed protein source.

Next we have ground flaxseed. Ground flaxseeds are an outstanding source of omega-3 fatty acids and dietary fiber. They also provide a notable amount of protein, B vitamins, and various minerals.

The remaining ingredients in this Natural Balance Platefulls recipe are unlikely to affect the overall rating of the product.

Our analysis of the ingredients show that this product derives most of its protein from animal based sources. This is an excellent property because meat based protein contains all of the necessary amino acids required by cats. In our option, this is one of the most important properties to judge when reviewing pet food, therefore we believe this is an exceptional product in this regard.

Final Thoughts

In summary, we recognize that this product does not contain any artificial colors, artificial preservatives, or anonymous meat ingredients.

The official PawDiet rating for Natural Balance Platefulls Cod, Chicken, Sole & Shrimp Formula In Gravy is 4.5 out of 5.