Label analysisGrade DListed ingredientsKibble (Extruded)

Natural Core

Natural Core Sensitive Care Mealworm

Calculate portions with this foodChoosing for your dog
Editor ingredient insight

Natural Core Sensitive Care Mealworm uses hydrolyzed mealworm first, then organic brown rice, sweet potato, mung bean, sunflower seeds, barley, and peas, making it an insect-protein sensitive-care formula.

With 24% protein, 13% fat, 3,500 kcal/kg, krill oil, FOS, and taurine, It is worth considering for dogs avoiding chicken or beef proteins, while skipping it for stricter grain-and-legume elimination diets.

Insect-protein leadPlant booster present
Illustration of grains and vegetables beside a dog-food bowl
Grain and vegetable illustration

01. NUTRIENT PROFILE

Key nutrients & mineral profile

As-fed basis
Disclosed protein and fat
Protein 24%Fat 13%Other 63%Other includes moisture, ash and remaining components.
Position within the same processing type

Compare protein, fat and energy density in low, typical and high bands.

Protein positionTypical

This food sits around the typical crude protein range among extruded foods.

Fat positionTypical

This food sits around the typical crude fat range among extruded foods.

Calorie densityLower

This food is on the lower side for calorie density among extruded foods. That alone does not make it a weight-management diet; check portion guidance, fat, and fiber together.

Key guaranteed nutrientsAs-fed
Calcium0.9%
Phosphorus0.7%
Crude fiber6%
Omega-3Not disclosed
Omega-6Not disclosed

Undisclosed values are not treated as zero.

02. INGREDIENT QUALITY & DISCLOSURE

Disclosed ingredients & ingredient grade

The analysis uses the registered ingredients. Complete-panel coverage is not verified, so an unlisted ingredient cannot be assumed absent.

Listed ingredients

Read the listed ingredients below. Complete-panel coverage is not verified here; do not infer that an unlisted ingredient is absent.

Grains and vegetables ingredient illustration
Grain and vegetable illustration
C3/6Ingredient gradeMixed
Ingredient #1 · Hydrolyzed MealwormMid
Insect Protein
Ingredient #2 · Organic Brown RiceUpper
Whole Grain
Ingredient #3 · Organic Sweet PotatoUpper
Starchy Tuber
Ingredient #1Mid

Hydrolyzed Mealworm

Hydrolyzed Mealworm is an insect-protein ingredient. It can provide amino acids as an alternative animal protein, but it should not be read the same way as chicken, duck, salmon, or other conventional meat proteins. Check the insect source, processing method, digestibility, and the carbohydrate ingredients around it. It reads as an mid-tier protein source.

Ingredient #2Upper

Organic Brown Rice

Organic 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.

Ingredient #3Upper

Organic Sweet Potato

Organic Sweet Potato is a starchy tuber ingredient. It is not a grain, but it still reads mainly as a starch and energy source. It reads as an upper-tier carb and fiber source.

Available ingredient listIn disclosed order
Hydrolyzed Mealworm — Alternative proteinOrganic Brown Rice — Neutral ingredientsOrganic Sweet Potato — Neutral ingredientsOrganic Mung Bean — Caution ingredientsOrganic Sunflower Seeds — Neutral ingredientsOrganic Whole Barley — Neutral ingredientsOrganic Pea — Caution ingredientsOrganic Whole Flax Seeds — Neutral ingredientsBeet Pulp — Support positive ingredientsKrill Oil — Support positive ingredientsCalcium Phosphate — Neutral ingredientsYucca Schidigera Extract — Support positive ingredientsDried Krill — Neutral ingredientsFructooligosaccharide — Support positive ingredientsMethionine — Neutral ingredientsSun Dried Salt — Neutral ingredientsTaurine — Support positive ingredientsHydrolyzed Green Lipped Mussel Complex (Source of Collagen and Chondroitin) — Support positive ingredientsFucoidan — Neutral ingredientsGlucosamine — Support positive ingredientsMSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane) — Support positive ingredientsL-Carnitine — Support positive ingredientsSea Buckthorn Fruits — Neutral ingredientsEvening Primrose Seeds — Neutral ingredientsCarrot — Neutral ingredientsCoriander — Neutral ingredientsSpinach — Neutral ingredientsAscorbic Acid — Neutral ingredientsLactobacillus spp. — Support positive ingredientsLactobacillus Dried Powder — Support positive ingredientsVitamin C — Neutral ingredientsVitamin E — Support positive ingredientsVitamin A — Neutral ingredientsVitamin D3 — Neutral ingredientsVitamin B1 — Neutral ingredientsVitamin B2 — Neutral ingredientsVitamin B6 — Neutral ingredientsVitamin B12 — Neutral ingredientsBiotin — Support positive ingredientsPantothenic Acid — Neutral ingredientsFolic Acid — Neutral ingredientsNicotinic Acid — Neutral ingredientsCholine — Support positive ingredientsFe (iron) — Neutral ingredientsCu (copper) — Neutral ingredientsZn (zinc) — Support positive ingredientsSe (selenium) — Support positive ingredientsMn (manganese) — Neutral ingredientsI (iodine) — Support positive ingredientsK (potassium) — Neutral ingredients
Primary positive ingredientsSupport positive ingredientsAlternative proteinNeutral ingredientsCaution ingredientsHigh-caution ingredients
Protein sourceIngredient guide

Insect protein source

Animal protein · Hydrolyzed Mealworm (#1)

Plant protein · Organic Mung Bean (#4), Organic Pea (#7)

Insect protein can provide amino acids as an alternative animal protein.

It is distinct from plant-protein boosting, but it is not scored the same as conventional meat protein.

Included support ingredientsNutrient guide
Krill oilSkin and joint support ingredientYucca extractStool odor support ingredientFOSGut support ingredientTaurineHeart support ingredientGreen-lipped musselJoint support ingredientGlucosamineJoint support ingredientMSMJoint support ingredientL-carnitineHeart and weight support ingredientProbioticsGut support ingredient

03. CHOOSING FOR YOUR DOG

What to consider before feeding

Hydrolyzed Mealworm supply animal protein at the start of the ingredient list. Organic Brown Rice, Organic Sweet Potato supply carbohydrate energy. The recipe combines animal protein sources with carbohydrate sources.

Organic Mung Bean, Organic Pea contribute plant protein alongside carbohydrates and fiber further down the ingredient list. Total crude protein is not a measure of meat-derived protein alone. Organic Whole Flax Seeds add fat and energy; fat content is a separate choice criterion from the protein sources.

What works well in this food

  • Insect protein can be worth reviewing when you are trying to avoid a specific meat protein.
  • Crude protein does not drop into a clearly low band.
  • Nutrient disclosure is broad enough to compare real numbers directly.

Check before feeding

  • Plant proteins can lift crude protein on the label, but the real animal-protein share still needs a closer check.
  • Top ingredients include an FDA-investigated non-hereditary DCM ingredient profile, so this part deserves a more cautious read.
  • Public data trust is usable, but it does not sit in the highest-trust tier.

When this food fits your dog

Among foods made the same way, protein is typical, fat is typical, and calorie density is lower. This is a candidate for reducing calories per gram. Fat is not also lower, so a weight-management choice still needs fiber, portions and total daily calories including treats to be considered together.

Consider it first when

  • Public-data-first comparison
  • Baseline shortlist building
  • Conservative first-pass screening

Choose another food first when

  • You want a stronger ingredient-quality story first
  • You need dog-specific fit instead of public-review screening

Plant-protein concentration remains the clearest trade-off here.

04. COMPARE FOODS

Smart insect alternatives

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

05. MANUFACTURING & DISCLOSURE

Manufacturer background & public information

Natural Core background

Founded in 2009 in South Korea.

Disclosure confidence C2

Detailed nutrition is visible, but not at a product-level traceability standard.

Recall information

The currently searched public sources are not enough to make a confident recall or withdrawal call for this brand.

May 12, 2026

Final word

Interpret this for my dog

The food-first public score is only the starting point. Once your dog’s activity, weight goals, life stage, and health status are applied, the recommendation order and interpretation can change.

Treat this review as an early screen. If the food stays interesting, verify it again with your dog-specific context before acting.