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Which Wellness Stews Recipes Get Our Best Ratings?
Wellness Stews Dog Food earns the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.
The Wellness Stews product line includes the 6 canned dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Wellness Turkey Stew | 5 | G/M |
| Wellness Lamb and Beef Stew | 5 | G/M |
| Wellness Beef Stew Grain Free | 5 | G/M |
| Wellness Chicken Stew Grain Free | 5 | G/M |
| Wellness Venison and Salmon Stew | 5 | G/M |
| Wellness Turkey and Duck Stew Grain Free | 5 | G/M |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Wellness Chicken Stew Grain Free 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.
Wellness Chicken Stew Grain Free
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, chicken broth, water sufficient for processing, chicken liver, peas, carrots, dried egg whites, potatoes, potato starch, dried egg product, guar gum, red peppers, celery, natural flavor, sodium phosphate, potassium chloride, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, cobalt proteinate, potassium iodide), salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), choline chloride, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), rosemary, sage, thyme
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 8% | 4% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 44% | 22% | 25% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 36% | 44% | 21% |
Ingredient Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1
Chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is chicken 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 third ingredient is water, which adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most canned dog foods.
The next ingredient is chicken liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
Next, we find 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 sixth ingredient lists carrots, which are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The seventh ingredient includes dried egg whites. Eggs are highly digestible and an excellent source of usable protein.
The next ingredient is potato. 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.
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 Wellness product.
With 4 notable exceptions…
First, we find salmon oil, which is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.
Depending on its level of freshness and purity, salmon oil should be considered a commendable addition.
Next, we note the inclusion of 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 failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
In addition, this recipe includes 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 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.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Wellness Stews looks like an above-average canned dog food.
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 20%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 27% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 46%.
Which means this Wellness product line contains…
Above-average protein. Below-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical wet dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas, this still looks like the profile of a wet dog food containing a significant amount of meat.
Our Rating of Wellness Stews Dog Food
Wellness Stews lists both grain-inclusive and grain-free canned dog foods that use a significant amount of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
More Top Picks
Wellness Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Wellness through November.
- Wellness Dog Food Recall of March 2017 (3/18/2017)
- Wellness Dog Food Recall October 2012 (10/30/2012)
- Wellness Dog Food Recall May 2012 (5/5/2012)
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Get Free Recall Alerts
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More Wellness Brand Reviews
The following Wellness dog food reviews are also posted on this website:
- Eagle Pack Dog Food Review (Dry)
- Wellness Complete Health Dog Food Review (Canned)
- Wellness Complete Health Dog Food Review (Dry)
- Wellness Complete Health Grain Free Dog Food Review (Dry)
- Wellness Core 95 Percent Dog Food Review (Canned)
- Wellness Core Digestive Health Dog Food Review (Dry)
- Wellness Core Grain Free Dog Food Review (Dry)
- Wellness Core Hearty Cuts Dog Food Review (Canned)
- Wellness CORE Pate Dog Food Review (Canned)
- Wellness Core RawRev Dog Food Review (Dry)
- Wellness Core Reduced Fat Dog Food Review (Dry)
- Wellness Core with Wholesome Grains Dog Food Review (Dry)
- Wellness Petite Entrees Casserole Dog Food Review (Cups)
- Wellness Petite Entrees Grain Free Shredded Medley Dog Food Review (Cups)
- Wellness Petite Entrees Mini Filets Dog Food Review (Cups)
- Wellness Simple Dog Food Review (Canned)
- Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Dog Food Review (Dry)
Compare This Dog Food
How does this brand compare with The Dog Food Advisor's most recommended brands?
A Final Word
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