Label analysisGrade BKibble (Extruded)

Natural Balance

Natural Balance LID Chicken & Brown Rice Puppy

Editor ingredient insight

Natural Balance LID Chicken & Brown Rice Puppy starts with chicken and chicken meal, then leans on brown rice, brewers rice, and rice bran. I would use it for puppies that tolerate chicken and rice-based grains and need a moderate rather than very rich growth diet. At 24% protein, 12% fat, 3,630 kcal/kg, 1.2%/0.95% calcium/phosphorus, 0.25% taurine, and 0.5% omega-3s, the basic growth disclosure is there, but this is not a high-calorie puppy food. I would skip it for puppies needing a richer diet, chicken avoidance, or fish-oil avoidance.

Logic-based verdict

This food offers a stable basic protein structure.

Manufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety

Protein source

Ingredient guide

Fresh meat plus named dry animal protein

Animal protein

Chicken (#1), Chicken Meal (#2)

Named dry animal protein helps support the moisture variable in fresh meat.

Same-species support is cleaner, but the core point is clear animal sourcing.

Included support ingredients

Nutrient guide

Fish oil

Skin and joint support ingredient

Taurine

Heart support ingredient

Omega-3

Skin and joint support ingredient

Omega-6

Skin and coat support ingredient

View full ingredients
Solid build

Ingredient grade

B

Grade B

Top ingredient profile

Chicken
Chicken Meal
Brown Rice
Fresh-meat leadNo plant booster
Crude protein24%
Crude protein24%
Crude fat12%
Other 64%

Calcium

1.2%

Phosphorus

1%

Protein position, fat position, and calorie density position are relative to foods in the same processing type cohort.

biotechProtein position
Lower
query_statsFat position
Lower
local_fire_departmentCalorie density
Typical

The first and second ingredients are both animal-based, so baseline protein quality stays stable. A whole-grain ingredient appears in the third slot, so this reads more like a mixed recipe than a fully animal-led one.

Nutritional strengths

  • The first ingredient is a species-named fresh meat.
  • Top ingredients do not show a prominent FDA-investigated non-hereditary DCM ingredient profile.

What still needs work

  • Public data is usable, but not at the highest-trust tier.

Alternative foods

Smart chicken alternatives

Exact protein-type matches come first, then close protein-family matches fill the comparison.

65 alternativesKibble (Extruded) · protein type/family cohort

Other recipes from the same brand

Other recipes from the same brand with a different purpose or feeding target.

Natural Balance

Original Ultra Whole Body Health Chicken

All life stages · All sizes

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

Natural Balance

LID Chicken & Brown Rice

Adult · All sizes

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

Natural Balance

LID Salmon & Sweet Potato

Adult · All sizes

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

Natural Balance

LID Lamb & Brown Rice

Adult · All sizes

Label score

3.5/5

Grade B

Brand context

Brand background availableRecall history confirmed

Founded in 1989 in the United States. This brand has a confirmed public recall history.

Ingredient analysis

The top ingredients give this recipe a strong first protein read, so the ingredient section starts from a favorable position.

restaurantIngredient Quality Analysis

B4.5/6
Ingredient Grade
Good
1Chicken
Fresh Meat · Top
2Chicken Meal
Named Meal · Upper
3Brown Rice
Whole Grain · Upper

Ingredient Analysis Comments

  • •Chicken is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
  • •Chicken Meal is a species-named animal meal ingredient. It is rendered rather than fresh, but the species source is still clearly identified. It reads as an upper-tier protein source.
  • •Brown Rice is a whole or coarse grain ingredient. It usually plays more of a carbohydrate and fiber role than a core protein role. It reads as an upper-tier carb and fiber source.
restaurantIngredient Grade BGood

Full collected ingredient list

21 ingredients
ChickenChicken MealBrown RiceBrewers RiceRice BranChicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols)Brewers Dried YeastNatural FlavorFlaxseedMenhaden Fish Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols)TaurineSaltPotassium ChlorideDL-MethionineDicalcium PhosphateVitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement)Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate)L-ThreonineCholine ChlorideCitric Acid (Used as a Preservative)Rosemary Extract
Primary positive ingredients
Support positive ingredients
Alternative protein
Neutral ingredients
Caution ingredients
High-caution ingredients

Why did the base review land here?

Ingredient qualityNutrient disclosure levelManufacturing & trust

This review score combines ingredient composition, nutrient disclosure, manufacturing trust, and core nutrient caution signals.

Nutrient disclosure

Partial disclosure

Core guaranteed analysis is usable, but deeper rows still need a more cautious read.

Safety verification

No fails

No major red flag jumps out first, though undisclosed rows still define the limits of this safety read.

Public data trust (ETF)

B tier

Current data is maintained, so the baseline trust level is still fairly high.

Final word

This is a credible shortlist food, but the personalized step is where the final order should be decided.

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