Heartland Choice Chicken & Potato Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag

1. 1

   chicken meal

   Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken.

   protein animal
2. 2

   potato

   Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.

   vegetable
3. 3

   peas

   Cheap protein bulk. Fine in small amounts, but when peas stack with lentils and chickpeas in the top ingredients, it's the pattern the FDA flagged in its heart-disease investigation. See why →

   legume
4. 4

   chicken fat

   Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid.

   fat
5. 5

   chickpeas

   Also called garbanzo beans. Affordable plant protein source, part of the legume stack the FDA examined in its heart-disease investigation. See why →

   legume
6. 6

   pea fiber

   Insoluble fiber from peas. Doesn't carry the protein-inflation concern of pea protein. Mostly there for stool quality.

   fiber
7. 7

   sweet potato

   Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.

   vegetable
8. 8

   natural flavor

   Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.

   other
9. 9

   flaxseed

   Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.

   fat
10. 10

    apples

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

    fruit
11. 11

    blueberries

    Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.

    fruit
12. 12

    cranberries

    Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.

    fruit
13. 13

    carrots

    Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.

    vegetable
14. 14

    spinach

    Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.

    vegetable
15. 15

    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

    mineral
16. 16

    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

    mineral
17. 17

    choline chloride

    Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

    supplement
18. 18

    dl-methionine

    Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.

    supplement
19. 19

    taurine

    Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.

    supplement
20. 20

    vitamin e supplement

    Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.

    vitamin
21. 21

    niacin supplement

    B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.

    vitamin
22. 22

    calcium pantothenate

    Same as d-calcium pantothenate. Vitamin B5 in standardized form.

    vitamin
23. 23

    vitamin a supplement

    Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.

    vitamin
24. 24

    riboflavin supplement

    B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.

    vitamin
25. 25

    thiamine mononitrate

    B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.

    vitamin

Showing first 25 of 41. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

25 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.