Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
Evanger’s Grain Free Dog Food product range is made up of three recipes which each receive the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Evanger’s Grain Free Chicken with Sweet Potato and Pumpkin | 5 | A |
| Evanger’s Grain Free Whitefish and Sweet Potato | 5 | A |
| Evanger’s Grain Free Meat Lover’s Medley Entree with Rabbit | 5 | M |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Evanger’s Grain Free Chicken with Sweet Potato and Pumpkin was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Evanger's Grain Free Chicken with Sweet Potato and Pumpkin
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
De-boned chicken, sweet potato, chicken meal (a source of glucosamine), chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), fish meal, ground flaxseed, pumpkin, yeast culture, alfalfa meal, natural chicken flavor, fruits and vegetables (carrots, peas, tomato, celery, beet, parsley, lettuce, watercress, spinach, cranberries, blueberries), potassium chloride, dried egg, kelp meal (ascophyllum nodosum), new zealand green mussel, eggshell meal, vitamins and minerals [vitamin E supplement, zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, selenium yeast, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin A supplement, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate (source of vitamin B5), copper amino acid chelate, manganese sulfate, thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), biotin, manganese amino acid chelate, magnesium amino acid chelate, riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), vitamin D3 supplement, calcium iodate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), lecithin, dried chicory root, cobalt carbonate, hydrolyzed yeast (source of beta-glucans), dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus fermentum fermentation product, dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product (lactosacc™ - probiotics), taurine, yucca schidigera extract, glucosamine hcl, chondroitin sulfate (natural mixed tocopherols, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 9.9%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 33% | 16% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 36% | 18% | 38% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 31% | 37% | 33% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken 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 second ingredient is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.
The third ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The fourth 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 fifth ingredient is fish meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate.
Fish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations.1
Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. Because various fish contain different types of fats, we would have preferred to have known the source species.
The next ingredient is 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.
The seventh ingredient is pumpkin. Pumpkin is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene and dietary fiber.
The eighth ingredient is yeast culture. Although yeast culture is high in B-vitamins and protein, it can also be used as a probiotic to aid in digestion.
The next ingredient is alfalfa meal. Although alfalfa meal is high in plant protein (about 18%) and fiber (25%), this hay-family item is more commonly associated with horse feeds.
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 Evanger’s product.
With four notable exceptions…
First, 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.
Next, this food contains 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.
In addition, we note the use of taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.
Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.
And lastly, this recipe includes selenium yeast. Unlike the more common inorganic form of selenium (sodium selenite), this natural yeast supplement is considered a safer anti-cancer alternative.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Evanger’s Grain Free Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 36%, a fat level of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 38%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 34% and a mean fat level of 15%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 44% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 44%.
Which means that this Evanger’s 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 flaxseed, yeast culture and alfalfa meal and peas, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a significant amount of meat.
Evangers Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Evangers through December 2024.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Evanger's Grain-Free Dog Food
Evanger’s Grain Free is a dry dog food using a significant amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Compare Evanger's Dog Food
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