Review of Earthborn Holistic Moist Dog Food Tubs

Earthborn Holistic moist dog food in tubs receives the Advisor’s second-highest tier rating of 4.5 stars.

The Earthborn Holistic Dog Food product line includes the 5 recipe tubs listed below.

Each formula includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Earthborn Holistic Pepper’s Pot Roast Stew was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.

Ingredient Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is beef broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common addition component in many canned products.

The second ingredient is beef. Beef is defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered cattle” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.¹

Beef is naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

The third ingredient is dried egg product, a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries — from eggs that have failed to hatch.

In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.

The next ingredient is beef liver, an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.

The fifth item is pea protein, what remains of a pea after removing the starchy part of the vegetable.

Even though it contains over 80% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.

And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label — a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

The sixth ingredient is tapioca, a gluten-free, starchy carbohydrate extract made from the root of the cassava plant.

The next ingredient includes potatoes. Potatoes can be considered a gluten-free source of digestible carbohydrates. Yet with the exception of perhaps their caloric content, potatoes are of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The eighth ingredient lists carrots, which are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.

The ninth ingredient is pumpkin. Pumpkin is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene and dietary fiber.

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 Earthborn product.

With 4 notable exceptions…

First, we find sunflower oil, which 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, this recipe includes peas, which are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.

However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

In addition, 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, Earthborn Holistic Moist Dog Food looks like an above-average wet product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 44%, a fat level of 22% and estimated carbohydrates of about 25%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 44% and a mean fat level of 22%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 25% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 50%.

Which means this Earthborn Holistic product line contains…

Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to other wet dog foods.

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the pea protein and peas, this looks like the profile of a wet product containing a notable amount of meat.

Our Rating of Earthborn Holistic Moist Dog Food Tubs

Earthborn Holistic is a grain-free wet dog food using a notable amount of named meats as its primary source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4.5 stars.

Highly recommended.

Earthborn Holistic Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls since 2009 related to Earthborn.

• Midwestern Pet Foods Recalls Multiple Dog and Cat Food Brands (3/28/2021)

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

Get Free Recall Alerts

Get free dog food recall alerts sent to you by email. Subscribe to The Advisor’s recall notification list.

More Earthborn Holistic Brand Reviews

The following Earthborn dog food reviews are also posted on this website:

• Earthborn Holistic Grain Free Dog Food Review (Dry)
• Earthborn Holistic K95 Dog Food Review (Canned)
• Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural Dog Food Review (Dry)
• Earthborn Holistic Unrefined Dog Food Review (Dry)
• Earthborn Holistic Venture Limited Ingredient Diets Dog Food Review (Dry)