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Review of I and Love and You Nude Food
I and Love and You Nude product range is made up of three recipes with ratings varying from 4.5 to 5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 5 stars.
The I and Love and You Nude Food product line includes the three dry dog foods listed below.
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 | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| I and Love and You Nude Food Simply Sea | 5 | A |
| I and Love and You Nude Food Poultry Palooza | 5 | A |
| I and Love and You Nude Food Red Meat Medley | 4.5 | U |
Recipe and Label Analysis
I and Love and You Nude Food Red Meat Medley 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.
I and Love and You Nude Food Red Meat Medley
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Beef, beef meal, menhaden fish meal, dried peas, dried chickpeas, pea protein, natural pork flavor, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), bison, tapioca starch, natural flavor, dried lentils, dried sweet potatoes, sunflower oil, flaxseeds, ground miscanthus grass, salt, dried carrots, choline chloride, coconut oil, dried chicory root, dried pumpkin, taurine, potassium chloride, turmeric, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation product, dried aspergillus niger fermentation product, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, citric acid (preservative , mixed tocopherols (preservative), vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulfate, iron amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, niacin supplement, D-calcium pantothenate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin a supplement, manganous oxide, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, calcium iodate, folic acid, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 34% | 14% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 38% | 16% | 39% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 33% | 33% | 34% |
Ingredient Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food 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 second ingredient is beef meal. Beef meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh beef.
The third ingredient is menhaden fish meal. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, fish meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself.
Menhaden are small ocean fish related to herring. They’re rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. What’s more, in their mid-depth habitat, menhaden are not exposed to mercury contamination as can be typical with deep water species.
This item is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations.2
The fourth ingredient includes peas. Peas 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.
The fifth ingredient lists chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. Like peas, beans and lentils, chickpeas are a nutritious member of the fiber-rich legume (or pulse) family of vegetables.
However, chickpeas contain about 22% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The sixth 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 seventh ingredient is natural pork flavour – natural pork flavor, doesn’t give us much information about the particular ingredients included in this dog food for flavouring purposes. We’re pleased that the flavourings are natural, but more details are required to give any further information about this natural pork flavor ingredient. Flavorings are used to make the foods more appealing and tasty for our dogs.
The eighth ingredient is canola oil. Unfortunately, canola can be a controversial item. That’s because it can sometimes (but not always) be derived from genetically modified rapeseed.
Yet others cite the fact that canola oil can be a significant source of essential omega-3 fatty acids.
In any case, plant-based oils like canola are less biologically available to a dog than fish oil as a source of quality omega-3 fats.
The ninth ingredient is bison. Bison is a highly digestible and remarkably lean meat. Like all meats, it is notably rich in all ten amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
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 4 notable exceptions…
First, we find 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.
Next, we note the inclusion of coconut oil, a natural oil rich in medium-chain fatty acids.
Medium-chain triglycerides have been shown to improve cognitive function in older dogs.3
Because of its proven safety4 as well as its potential to help in the treatment of canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) and chronic skin disorders, MCT can be considered a positive addition to this recipe.
In addition, 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.
Lastly, we note the use of 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.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, I and Love and You Nude Food looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 38%, a fat level of 16% and estimated carbohydrates of about 38%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 38% and a mean fat level of 15%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 39% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 39%.
Which means this I and Love and You 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 pea products, chickpeas and flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a significant amount of meat.
Our Rating of I and Love and You Nude Food
I and Love and You Nude Food is a grain-free dry dog food using a significant amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
I and Love and You Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls since 2009 related to I and Love and You.
- I and Love and You Dog Treats Recall of 2015 (7/13/2015)
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
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More I and Love and You Brand Reviews
The following I and Love and You dog food reviews are also posted on this website:
- I and Love and You Dog Food Review (Canned)
- I and Love and You Lovingly Simple Dog Food Review (Dry)
- I and Love and You Naked Essentials Dog Food Review (Dry)
- I and Love and You Stir and Boom Dog Food Review (Freeze-Dried Raw)
Compare This Dog Food
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