Pet Food Ingredients, Explained
What each ingredient on a dog or cat food label is, why it is in the bag, and who should pay attention to it. 104 ingredients and counting.
Meat, poultry and fish 16
Beef
A red-meat protein, higher in fat and iron than poultry.Chicken
The most common protein in pet food, and for dogs one of the most common food allergens, with beef and dairy.Chicken heart
Heart muscle from the chicken, a lean organ meat rich in taurine, iron and B vitamins.Chicken liver
The liver of the chicken, used both as a nutrient-dense ingredient and as a flavor.Duck
A poultry protein, fattier and richer in iron than chicken.Egg
A complete, highly digestible protein, which is why formulators like it.Herring
A small oily fish used as a protein and as a natural source of omega-3 fats.Lamb
A red-meat protein, fattier than chicken and with a strong flavor many dogs prefer.Liver
Organ meat from the named animal, or unnamed when the label just says liver.Menhaden fish
A small, oily fish from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts that rarely reaches the human table and is used almost entirely for fish meal and fish oil.Pork
A red-meat protein, nutritionally similar to beef and fattier than poultry.Salmon
A fatty fish used as a protein source and as a natural source of omega-3 fats.Tuna
A fish used mostly in cat foods, where its strong flavor is the point.Turkey
A poultry protein, similar to chicken in nutrition and usually a little leaner.Unnamed fish
Fish with no species stated.Whitefish
A lean, mild fish, often cod, haddock, pollock or a mix, used as a protein source.
Fats and oils 8
Canola oil
A plant oil, low in saturated fat, added as a source of the omega-6 fat linoleic acid with some plant omega-3 as well.Chicken fat
Rendered fat, a concentrated energy source and the main supply of linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid for skin and coat.Coconut oil
A plant fat high in medium-chain triglycerides, fats the body can burn quickly without the usual digestion steps.Fish oil
Oil pressed from whole fish, usually menhaden, herring or sardine, added as the source of the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA.Salmon oil
Oil pressed from salmon, added for the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA that support skin, coat and joints.Soybean oil
Oil pressed from soybeans, added as a cheap, stable source of the omega-6 fat linoleic acid.Sunflower oil
A plant oil added as a source of linoleic acid, the omega-6 fat dogs and cats need for skin and coat.Vegetable oil
A plant oil with the source unspecified, usually soybean, canola or a blend.
Grains, starches and legumes 11
Barley
A cereal grain used as a slow-digesting carbohydrate.Brown rice
Rice with the bran layer left on, which keeps more fiber, B vitamins and minerals than white rice.Chickpeas
A legume used as a carbohydrate and plant protein, common in grain-free foods.Lentils
A small legume used for carbohydrate, fiber and plant protein in many grain-free foods.Oats
A whole grain used as a carbohydrate and fiber source.Pea
A staple of grain-free recipes, supplying starch, fiber and plant protein.Potato
The familiar white potato, used as a carbohydrate source in many grain-free foods.Rice
A grain used as an easily digested carbohydrate.Sweet potato
A root vegetable used as a carbohydrate source, especially in grain-free foods.Tapioca
Starch from the cassava root, used to bind kibble and as a carbohydrate source, especially in grain-free foods.Wheat gluten
The protein portion of wheat, used to bind wet-food chunks and to add protein cheaply.
Fruits, vegetables and herbs 16
Alfalfa
A legume plant, the same one fed to horses, dried and added as a source of fiber, vitamins and chlorophyll.Apple
A fruit added for fiber, a little natural sweetness and antioxidants.Blueberries
A fruit added in small amounts for antioxidants and a bit of fiber.Broccoli
Broccoli florets or stems, dried and added in small amounts for fiber, vitamins and antioxidants.Carrot
A vegetable that contributes a little fiber and beta-carotene and a lot of label appeal.Celery
A vegetable added in small amounts for fiber and a little flavor, and in fresh or raw recipes for its water content.Cranberries
A small fruit added mostly for its association with urinary health.Flaxseed
A plant source of omega-3 fat (alpha-linolenic acid) and fiber, used in about a third of dog foods for coat and stool quality.Green tea
An extract added in tiny amounts for its antioxidant compounds, and in some dental treats for breath.Kale
A dark leafy green, dried and added in small amounts, mostly for the vitamins and the look of the ingredient list.Parsley
A culinary herb added in tiny amounts, usually with a claim about fresh breath.Pumpkin
A vegetable used mainly as a source of soluble fiber for stool quality, and for label appeal.Rosemary
Almost always rosemary extract, used as a natural antioxidant to keep fats fresh, usually alongside mixed tocopherols.Spinach
A leafy green added in small amounts for vitamins, minerals and color.Tomato
Usually tomato pomace, the skins, pulp and seeds left after juicing, added as a fiber source with some antioxidants.Turmeric
A spice added for color and for its curcumin, a compound studied for anti-inflammatory effects.
Fibers 5
Beet pulp
The fiber left after sugar is extracted from sugar beets.Cellulose
Purified plant fiber, usually from wood pulp, added as an insoluble fiber.Chicory root
A root added for its inulin, a fiber that gut bacteria ferment.Miscanthus grass
A tall perennial grass, dried and ground, used as an insoluble fiber.Psyllium
The husk of a seed, the same fiber sold for people as Metamucil, added for its soluble, gel-forming fiber.
Vitamins 14
Beta carotene
A plant pigment that dogs convert to vitamin A and that also acts as an antioxidant.Biotin
A B vitamin tied to skin and coat quality and to fat and protein metabolism.Calcium pantothenate
Vitamin B5 in its stable added form (the d- prefix just names the active version).Folic acid
Vitamin B9, needed for cell division and healthy blood.L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate
A heat-stable form of vitamin C.Menadione (vitamin K3)
A synthetic form of vitamin K, which is needed for blood clotting.Niacin
Vitamin B3.Pyridoxine hydrochloride
Vitamin B6 in its stable, added form.Riboflavin
Vitamin B2, used to turn food into energy.Thiamine
Vitamin B1, essential for nerves and energy metabolism, and the vitamin most often behind cat food recalls.Vitamin A
Essential for vision, skin and immune function.Vitamin B12
Needed for nerve function and making red blood cells.Vitamin D3
Dogs and cats cannot make useful amounts of vitamin D from sunlight, so it has to be in the food.Vitamin E
A fat-soluble antioxidant that protects cells and the fats in the food itself.
Minerals 16
Calcium carbonate
A calcium source, the same compound as limestone or chalk.Calcium iodate
An iodine source.Calcium sulfate
A calcium source, also used as a firming agent in wet foods.Choline chloride
A B-vitamin relative added to nearly every complete food because animals need more than the base ingredients supply.Copper sulfate
A copper source.Ferrous sulfate
An iron source.Magnesium
An essential mineral for muscle, nerve and bone function, added to guarantee the required level.Manganese sulfate
A manganese source.Potassium chloride
A potassium source and an electrolyte.Salt
Sodium and chloride, both essential, plus a palatability boost.Selenium yeast
Yeast grown in a selenium-rich medium so the mineral is bound into the yeast's proteins, which is the form found in meat.Sodium phosphate
A phosphate salt added to supply phosphorus, balance calcium, or keep wet food's texture.Sodium selenite
The usual source of selenium, a mineral that works alongside vitamin E as an antioxidant.Sodium tripolyphosphate
A phosphate salt used to keep wet food moist and hold its texture, and in some dry foods to reduce tartar by binding calcium in saliva.Tricalcium phosphate
A calcium and phosphorus source that also keeps dry food from clumping.Zinc sulfate
A zinc source.
Amino acids 4
DL-methionine
An essential amino acid, added to top up protein quality and, in cat food especially, to acidify urine and discourage the struvite crystals behind some...L-carnitine
A compound made from amino acids that helps cells burn fat for energy.L-lysine
An essential amino acid, added when the proteins in a food fall short of the required level.Taurine
An amino acid cats cannot make in sufficient quantity and must eat, or they develop heart disease and blindness.
Supplements and probiotics 7
Chondroitin sulfate
A cartilage component, usually from cattle or chicken cartilage, almost always paired with glucosamine in joint-support foods.Dried yeast
The dried cells of yeast, often a by-product of brewing.Glucosamine
A building block of cartilage, usually from shellfish shells, added to joint-support and senior foods.Kelp
A dried seaweed added as a natural source of iodine and trace minerals.Montmorillonite clay
A natural clay added in small amounts as an anti-caking agent and, by some makers, as a source of trace minerals or to bind toxins in the gut.Probiotics
Live bacteria added to support digestion, listed by strain name such as Lactobacillus acidophilus or Bacillus coagulans.Yucca schidigera
An extract of a desert plant added in tiny amounts to reduce stool and urine odor.
Preservatives and thickeners 7
Agar agar
A gelling agent from red seaweed, used to set wet foods into a loaf or jelly.Carrageenan
A thickener extracted from red seaweed, used to give wet foods a firm loaf or smooth gravy.Citric acid
A natural acid, the same one found in citrus, used alongside mixed tocopherols to slow fat from going rancid.Guar gum
A thickener from the guar bean, used to give wet food its texture and hold gravy together.Lactic acid
A mild acid, the same one produced in fermented foods, used to lower the pH of a wet food or treat so bacteria and mold grow more slowly.Water
Water added during the making of wet food, listed as 'water sufficient for processing'.Xanthan gum
A thickener made by fermenting sugar with a bacterium.
