HEALTH CENTER
Pet Food Label Reading Checklist: Ingredients to Look For and Avoid
A Simple Guide to Reading Any Bag or Can With Confidence
by Darleen Rudnick, B.S.W., M.H.N., Certified Holistic Nutritionist
This checklist makes it easy to see, at a glance, what belongs in your pet's food and what does not.
✓ GOOD INGREDIENTS — LOOK FOR THESE
Animal Proteins
☐ Chicken
☐ Turkey
☐ Beef
☐ Lamb
☐ Duck
☐ Rabbit
☐ Venison
☐ Pork
☐ Bison
☐ Goat
☐ Salmon
☐ Sardines
☐ Herring
☐ Mackerel
☐ Trout
☐ Whitefish
☐ Cod
☐ Eggs
Meat & Fish Meals
☐ Chicken meal
☐ Turkey meal
☐ Beef meal
☐ Lamb meal
☐ Duck meal
☐ Venison meal
☐ Salmon meal
☐ Herring meal
☐ Whitefish meal
☐ Menhaden fish meal
Healthy Fats & Oils
☐ Chicken fat
☐ Fish oil
☐ Salmon oil
☐ Sardine oil
☐ Herring oil
☐ Anchovy oil
☐ Flaxseed oil
☐ Ground flaxseed
☐ Chia seeds
Natural Flavors
☐ Natural chicken flavor
☐ Natural turkey flavor
☐ Natural beef flavor
☐ Natural lamb flavor
☐ Natural fish flavor
☐ Natural liver flavor
☐ Chicken broth
☐ Beef broth
☐ Turkey broth
☐ Fish broth
Natural Preservatives
☐ Mixed tocopherols
☐ Vitamin E (tocopherols)
☐ Rosemary extract
☐ Citric acid
☐ Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)
☐ Ascorbyl palmitate
Vegetables
☐ Broccoli
☐ Green beans
☐ Carrots
☐ Pumpkin
☐ Zucchini
☐ Spinach
☐ Kale
☐ Squash
☐ Sweet potato
☐ Cauliflower
☐ Brussels sprouts
☐ Bok choy
Fruits
☐ Blueberries
☐ Blackberries
☐ Cranberries
☐ Raspberries
☐ Apples
☐ Pears
☐ Pumpkin
Extras
☐ Probiotics
☐ Prebiotics
☐ Chicory root
☐ Inulin
☐ Taurine
☐ Glucosamine
☐ Chondroitin
☐ Clearly identified vitamins
☐ Clearly identified minerals
Not sure how your pet's current food measures up against this checklist?
A conversation about your pet is a good place to start.
Book a Consultation
✗ INGREDIENTS TO AVOID
Artificial Colors
☐ Red 40
☐ Yellow 5
☐ Yellow 6
☐ Blue 1
☐ Blue 2
☐ Artificial coloring
Artificial/Chemical Preservatives
☐ BHA
☐ BHT
☐ Ethoxyquin
☐ Propyl gallate
Added Sugars & Sweeteners
☐ Sugar
☐ Corn syrup
☐ High-fructose corn syrup
☐ Sucrose
☐ Dextrose
☐ Fructose
☐ Molasses
☐ Caramel
☐ Cane sugar
Vague Animal Ingredients
☐ Meat meal without the animal named
☐ Meat and bone meal without the animal named
☐ Animal fat without the animal named
☐ Animal digest
☐ Unidentified animal by-products
☐ Unnamed poultry ingredients
☐ Unnamed fish ingredients
Ingredients to Watch When They Dominate the Food
☐ Corn
☐ Corn gluten meal
☐ Wheat
☐ Wheat gluten
☐ Soy
☐ Soybean meal
☐ Soy protein
☐ Pea protein
☐ Pea starch
☐ Pea flour
☐ Potato starch
☐ Potato protein
☐ Tapioca
☐ Rice flour
Other Ingredients To Avoid
☐ Propylene glycol
☐ Artificial flavors
☐ Artificial smoke flavor
☐ Cellulose
☐ Gums or thickeners
☐ Long lists of additives
ALSO CHECK THE ORDER
☐ A clearly named animal protein is near the top
☐ The food is not dominated by starches
☐ One ingredient has not been split into several forms to move it down the list
☐ Animal proteins are clearly identified
☐ Fats and oils identify their source
☐ There are no artificial colors
☐ There are no added sugars
☐ There are no BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, or propyl gallate
Frequently Asked Questions
What ingredients should I look for in a high-quality pet food?
Look for a named animal protein listed first, healthy fats and oils with their source identified, and natural preservatives like mixed tocopherols or rosemary extract. Whole vegetables and fruits in moderation are also a good sign.
What are common pet food additives to avoid?
Watch for artificial colors such as Red 40 or Yellow 5, artificial preservatives like BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin, and added sugars or sweeteners. Propylene glycol is another one worth avoiding.
What is the best natural preservative alternative to BHT?
Mixed tocopherols, which are a natural form of vitamin E, and rosemary extract are the most common natural substitutes for BHT. They do not extend shelf life quite as long, which is part of why synthetic preservatives became popular in the first place.
Why should I avoid vague terms like "meat meal" without a named animal?
When the animal is not named, it is harder to know exactly what you are feeding and to trust the quality and consistency of that ingredient. A named version, such as chicken meal, tells you clearly what the protein source is.
What should I check about ingredient order on a pet food label?
Ingredients are listed by weight, so a named protein should appear near the top of the list. It is also worth watching for one ingredient split into several forms to push it lower on the list, and making sure the food is not dominated by starches.
Important Note
The recommendations in this article are general suggestions for treating your pet naturally. It is important to look at each pet individually and determine what works best, and it is highly recommended that you consider a consultation.
A consultation includes a personalized diet and holistic program, all custom-tailored to your pet's personal needs. This is particularly imperative in pets with complicated health issues, or if you've done outside reading and have conflicting information.
Recommended Articles
A complete glossary of common pet food ingredients, from animal digest to wheat gluten, plus practical tips for reading labels and avoiding misleading marketing.
A simple, step-by-step guide to reading pet food labels and spotting quality ingredients.
A closer look at BHA and BHT in pet food and treats, why some pet owners choose to avoid them, and natural preservative alternatives to look for on labels.
