Our verdict
Is Essential Foods BALANCE a good dog food?
We score it 57/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Complete extruded dry food for dogs of all life stages, with turkey, rice and oats as the main ingredients.
70% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
- Doesn't list beef, lamb, fish, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists poultry fat
- Your dog avoids turkey: the label lists turkey
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists rice - white
- You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
These points are derived from declared ingredients and analysis, not a substitute for veterinary advice. If your dog has a diagnosed condition, food choice is a medical nutrition decision: speak to your vet. Find foods that fit your dog.
Nutrition and feedingProtein 22% · Fat 8%
Typical analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed |
|---|---|
| Protein | 22% |
| Fat | 8% |
| Fibre | 4% |
| Ash | 6% |
| Moisture | 8.50% |
| Carbohydrates | 49.50% |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 0.80% |
| Omega-6 fatty acids | 1.90% |
| Calcium | 1.40% |
| Phosphorus | 0.90% |
Additives & feeding info
Feeding and storage
Storage
The food should be stored in the bag, in a cool, dry place (5-18 °C). Away from direct sunlight, and with the zip carefully closed.
Additives declared on the label
Nutritional additives
Vitamin A 14425 IU; Vitamin D3 1925 IU; Vitamin E 150 mg; Zinc 50 mg; Iron 50 mg; Manganese 35 mg; Copper 12 mg; Iodine 1 mg; Selenium 0.19 mg
Technological additives
rosemary extract
Ingredients (9)70% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- carb 40.5%
- meat 28.0%
- veg 19.6%
- fibre 9.8%
- oil 2.0%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Freshly prepared and dried turkey (26%) | Turkey | meat · medium | 26 | 26.0 |
| 2 | white rice | Rice - white | carb · medium | - | 14.7 |
| 3 | brown rice | Rice - brown / whole grain | carb · medium | - | 13.5 |
| 4 | oats | Oats | carb · medium | - | 12.3 |
| 5 | whole linseed | Linseed | veg · good | - | 11.1 |
| 6 | turkey gravy (2%) | Turkey | meat · medium | 2 | 2.0 |
| 7 | turkey fat (2%) | Poultry Fat | oil · medium | 2 | 2.0 |
| 8 | beet pulp | Beet Pulp | fibre · medium | - | 9.8 |
| 9 | alfalfa | Alfalfa | veg · good | - | 8.6 |
- 1. Freshly prepared and dried turkey (26%)26% declared26.0% estimated
- 2. white rice14.7% estimated
- 3. brown rice13.5% estimated
- 4. oats12.3% estimated
- 5. whole linseed11.1% estimated
- 6. turkey gravy (2%)2% declared2.0% estimated
- 7. turkey fat (2%)2% declared2.0% estimated
- 8. beet pulp9.8% estimated
- 9. alfalfa8.6% estimated
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-08-22
Brand and contact: Essential Foods
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-08-22
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- essentialfoods.com
Recall history is presentation-only and never affects the score. Dates are when we recorded the data, not when the manufacturer last changed the recipe.
Spotted a mistake in this listing? Report it here and we'll take a look.
Score details and methodologyCalculations, history and evidence
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Why this score?
This recipe achieves a final score of 57 out of 100 based on several key factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list added +5.2 points. However, ingredients without printed percentages reduced the score by -7.4. Additionally, the processing format deducted -6.7 and the carbohydrate content contributed -5.
Scored with model v3 on 2026-10-25. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.6 | 9.191 | +5.23 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 29.4% | 0.096 | +2.83 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 43.6% | -0.115 | -5.02 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 2.4% | -0.092 | -0.22 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 13.7% | -0.005 | -0.07 |
| Undeclared quantities | 70.0% | -0.106 | -7.39 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Processing multiplier | 0.98 | 33.786 | +33.11 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.713 | -6.71 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.6 | 9.191 | +5.23 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 29.4% | 0.096 | +2.83 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 43.6% | -0.115 | -5.02 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 2.4% | -0.092 | -0.22 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 13.7% | -0.005 | -0.07 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.163 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.012 | +0.00 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.375 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.027 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 0.0% | -0.065 | +0.00 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 0 | -0.876 | +0.00 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 0.0% | 0.060 | +0.00 |
| Undeclared quantities | 70.0% | -0.106 | -7.39 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | no | 0.707 | +0.00 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | no | -3.158 | +0.00 |
| High carb and low meat | no | -1.180 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × fresh | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Fresh × high meat | 0.0 | 11.084 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | 0.00 | 0.222 | +0.00 |
| Processing multiplier | 0.98 | 33.786 | +33.11 |
| Processing: Raw | no | -0.054 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Refrigerated | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | no | 6.629 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | no | 6.331 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Cold Pressed | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Baked | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.713 | -6.71 |
| Processing: Dry Semi Moist | no | -6.174 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Muesli | no | -10.146 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
- Processing-type offset
- +0.02
- Additives declared on label
- +2 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 57.0
- Final score
- 57/100
Contributions are rounded to two decimals, so they may not sum exactly to the subtotal. The full coefficient table is published on the methodology page.
Score history across model versions
The score shown above is always computed with the latest published model. Earlier scores are kept for the record and are never edited or deleted; a scoring change ships as a new model version with a public write-up on the methodology page.
Nutritional: declared analysis vs reference ranges
How the declared analysis compares with FEDIAF reference ranges for adult dogs. The label prints as-fed values; we convert to a dry-matter basis before scoring, and the bands are dry-matter ranges. Scores rise to 100 at the band midpoint: the reference is adequacy, not maximisation. Nutrients with a published upper limit taper again above it; fat is policed through calorie density rather than a direct penalty.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 22 | 24 (band 18 to 40%) | 86.5 |
| Fat | 8 | 8.7 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 83.4 |
| Fibre | 4 | 4.4 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Calcium | 1.4 | 1.5 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 100 |
| Phosphorus | 0.9 | 1 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 99.2 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.6 | 1.6 (band 1 to 2%) | 100 |
| Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3) | - | - | 100 |
Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3): scored as the mean of its declared components (omega-6 100). The FEDIAF minimum for omega-6 is linoleic acid specifically.
Scored over 7 declared nutrients (combined weight 90); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.
Declared fortification: 9 nutritional additives on the label
- Vitamin A 14425 IU
- Vitamin D3 1925 IU
- Vitamin E 150 mg
- Zinc 50 mg
- Iron 50 mg
- Manganese 35 mg
- Copper 12 mg
- Iodine 1 mg
- Selenium 0.19 mg
Medium confidence: the full five-part analysis is on file; where moisture was not declared it was estimated from the food type.
This measures agreement with published reference ranges, not suitability for an individual dog. For medical conditions, follow veterinary guidance.
Transparency: what the label discloses
How much the manufacturer discloses, measured against the FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice and Regulation 767/2009. Mandatory items dominate the weighting.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Ingredient list on the label (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Printed percentages on the label (30% of the recipe mass) (voluntary) | 6/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) | 15/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) - not on file | 0/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) - not on file | 0/10 |
| Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory) | 5/10 |
| Country of manufacture stated (voluntary) | 10/10 |
| Batch and date labelling (mandatory) | 5/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Feeding guidance given).
Safety: recall history
Recall and safety-notice history, time-decayed. This dimension is shown alongside the score and never feeds the headline number.
No recalls recorded in our database.
See all current recalls we track.
Evidence: what the brand claims, and what supports it
The claims made on the pack and product page, checked against the declared label. We record claims as stated; "consistent" means our stored label data supports the claim, "contradicted" means it conflicts with it. Functional claims are recorded but never scored.
50/100 · limited — 2 checkable claims: 1 consistent, 1 contradicted.
Contradicted by the label
- "BALANCE is a single source protein food in which turkey, rice and oats are the main ingredients." — the declared label says otherwise on single protein.
Consistent with the label
- "The turkeys are a lean source of protein, rich in essential amino acids, low in fat, and a good source of essential nutrients such as riboflavin, potassium, and selenium." — supported by the declared low fat data.
23 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.
Limited: at least one claim contradicts the declared label, or a recent upheld ASA ruling applies.
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| The combination of turkey meat, rice and oats is carefully composed to balance the digestive system. (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| The BALANCE collection supports normal digestive function and provides nutritional stability for out-of-sorts stomachs. (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| White rice is easily digestible, making it ideal for dogs with sensitive stomachs. (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Omega 3 – may help to support skin and coat condition. (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Omega 3 also thought to help support cognitive and visual development in puppies. (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| It is a high-quality source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which can support healthy skin, a shiny coat, and overall heart and joint health in dogs (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Source of iodine which helps to maintain healthy thyroid function. (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Yucca is a good source of dietary fiber, rich in antioxidants, and contains essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, potassium, and folate, supporting digestive health and overall vitality. (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Of which Omega-6 1.9 % (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Calcium 1.4 % (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Of which Omega-3 0.8 % (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Fiber 4.0 % (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Fat 8.0 % (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| BALANCE is a single source protein food in which turkey, rice and oats are the main ingredients. (on page) | Content | contradicted | Manufacturer assertion |
| The turkeys are a lean source of protein, rich in essential amino acids, low in fat, and a good source of essential nutrients such as riboflavin, potassium, and selenium. (on page) | Nutrient | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| Kcal/Kg 3300 (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Water 8.5 % (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Made with fresh and dried turkey 30 % (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Minerals/Crude ash 6.0 % (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Protein 22.0 % (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Our Omega 3 is 100% salmon oil from Norwegian farmed salmon. (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Free-range turkeys are raised at lower densities in the barn, with access to daylight and fresh air. (on page) | provenance | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Phosphorus 0.9 % (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| BALANCE is only 22 percent protein. (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Of which fresh 20 % (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
Alternatives to BALANCE
Similar on ingredients, protein, format or nutrition, using the same stored data.
Community0 comments
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share how this went down with your dog.