Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
I and Love and You Naked Essentials dry product range is made up of three recipes with ratings varying from 4 to 4.5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 4.5 stars.
The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Naked Essentials Grain Free with Lamb and Bison | 4.5 | A |
| Naked Essentials Grain Free with Chicken and Duck | 4.5 | A |
| Naked Essentials Grain Free for Puppies | 4 | G |
Recipe and Label Analysis
I and Love and You Naked Essentials with Lamb and Bison was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
I and Love and You Naked Essentials with Lamb and Bison
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Lamb, chicken meal, turkey meal, dried garbanzo beans, dried lentils, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), dried peas, pea starch, natural flavor, bison, dried sweet potatoes, flaxseeds, dried egg product, ground miscanthus grass, salt, monosodium phosphate, fish oil, sunflower oil, potassium chloride, dried chicory root, minerals (ferrous sulfate, iron amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate), taurine, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid), citric acid (preservative), mixed tocopherols (preservative), choline chloride, dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 30% | 15% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 33% | 17% | 42% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 29% | 35% | 36% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is lamb. Although it is a quality item, raw lamb contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
The next 2 ingredients include chicken meal and turkey meal. Both are considered meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh poultry.
The fourth ingredient lists dried garbanzo beans. Dried legumes, like garbanzo beans, are a good source of carbohydrates. Plus they’re naturally rich in dietary fiber.
The fifth ingredient includes dried lentils, another good source of carbohydrates and dietary fiber.
However, dried garbanzo beans and lentils contain about 27% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The next ingredient is chicken fat. This item is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The seventh ingredient includes dried peas. Dried peas are a good source of carbohydrates. Plus they’re naturally rich in dietary fiber.
However, dried peas contain about 27% protein, a factor that can’t be ignored when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The eighth ingredient is pea starch, a paste-like, gluten-free carbohydrate extract probably used here as a binder for making kibble. Aside from its energy content (calories), pea starch is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
After the natural flavor, we find bison. Although it is a quality item, raw bison contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this I and Love and You product.
With six notable exceptions…
First, we find dried sweet potato, a dehydrated item usually made from the by-products of potato processing. In most cases, dried potato can contain about 10% dry matter protein which can have a slight affect on our estimate of the total meat content of this recipe.
Next, this recipe includes flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
In addition, we note the use of sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is nutritionally similar to safflower oil. Since these oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids and contain no omega-3’s, they’re considered less nutritious than canola or flaxseed oils.
Sunflower oil is notable for its resistance to heat damage during cooking.
There are several different types of sunflower oil, some better than others. Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this ingredient.
Next, chicory root is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
Additionally, this recipe contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.
And lastly, this food includes chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, I and Love and You Naked Essentials looks like an above-average dry dog food.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 33%, a fat level of 17% and estimated carbohydrates of about 42%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 34% and a mean fat level of 16%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 42% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 48%.
Which means this product line contains…
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the legumes, dried potato and flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a notable amount of meat.
I and Love and You Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to I and Love and You through November 2024.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of I and Love and You Naked Essentials Grain Free Dog Food
I and Love and You Naked Essentials is a grain-free dry dog food using a notable amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4.5 stars.
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A Final Word
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