food philosophy
Nulo's nutritional philosophy revolves around crafting recipes that align closely with the dietary needs of dogs and cats, emphasizing high meat and fish protein content while minimizing carbohydrates and incorporating low glycemic ingredients.
We recognize the challenge consumers face in deciphering pet food labels, which often differ from those of human foods. Pet food packaging lists ingredients by weight before cooking, with the heaviest ingredients appearing first. However, during cooking, the moisture content of ingredients like "fresh meats" can significantly reduce their contribution to the final product. Without high-quality meals such as dehydrated meats and fish to compensate, the resulting food may have lower meat content when served.
At Nulo, we scrutinize every aspect of our recipes based on what ends up in the bowl, ensuring that our dry solid meat protein content ranks among the highest in the pet industry. Understanding that dogs and cats have limited dietary need for carbohydrates, we prioritize maintaining high meat content while effectively managing carbohydrate levels. By focusing on what matters most – the nutritional composition as consumed by pets – we deliver recipes that truly cater to the carnivorous instincts of our beloved companions.
Did You Know?
- The ingredient listing on the bag does not exactly reflect what's in your pet's bowl. Unlike human foods for which nutrient information is reported as consumed, the pet food industry allows nutrient information to be reported on bags before the cooking process. Look for fresh meat first (always) and then immediately following, 2 to 3 named meat meals (e.g., salmon meal, turkey meal). “Meals” are the dehydrated versions of the meat with fat and moisture removed before cooking. This ensures meat content remains high after cooking. Don’t settle for anything less in the first 3 ingredients!
- 30% protein on one bag doesn't equal 30% protein on another bag. Yes, the percentage amounts may be equal but it's how you get to the protein level that can differentiate. Protein doesn't always mean meat. Many companies are "boosting" crude protein levels using vegetable protein concentrates like Pea Protein and Potato Protein. Plant protein simply cannot compete with biologically appropriate animal-based proteins for dogs and cats.
- There is still no scientific evidence of any direct link between "grain-free" pet foods and the 0.0007% of the canine population that have been diagnosed with possible Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). Rather than focusing on grains, focus on whether your food delivers sufficient levels of the necessary amino acids which come from animal-based proteins (aka meat and meat meals). Look for meat protein and low amounts of healthy carbs. Check the ingredients!
- Companies are not permitted to disclose the carb content of their products on the label. Pet food lobbyists like to keep it this way (because a lot of foods are high in carbs) but knowing the carb content provides a good data point for consumers to tell if the food is healthy or not for their pet. Look for mid- to low 30’s for dog, and mid- to low 20’s for cat.
- In order to make a kibble, some level of carbs are required to make everything bind together and form the nugget (think: bread crumbs for meatballs in human food). The source of the carbohydrate ingredients themselves play a role. For example, a serving of white potato has almost the same effect in humans as eating table sugar (a quick, high spike in blood sugar) whereas a serving of lentils has a slower, smaller effect. Avoid foods with high-glycemic carbohydrates like white potato, white rice and tapioca. Instead, look for low-glycemic carbs like oats, barley, sweet potato, chickpeas and lentils.
- The highest-priced food does not necessarily mean the best food. In the pet food industry, it is easy for a food to "read well" before cooking, and it's another to have it "perform well" as fed. Look for fresh meat first (always) and then immediately following, 2 to 3 named meat meals (e.g., salmon meal, turkey meal). “Meals” are the dehydrated versions of the meat with fat and moisture removed before cooking. This ensures meat content remains high after cooking. Don’t settle for anything less in the first 3 ingredients!
- After you cook a live organism like a probiotic, it will likely die and offer no benefit unless it has a proper protective shell, or casing. Many companies use probiotics, but unless it's a probiotic strain that has guaranteed survivability against cooking, freezing, shelf life and stomach acids, your dog or cat are probably not realizing a benefit. Inquire about the specific strand of probiotic used in your pet's food and ask if it is viable in the digestive tract.
- Common "health" terms are used to convince consumers that pet food is healthy. The phrases "organic, non-GMO, gently-processed, human-grade, small batched, ethically-raised, sustainably-sourced, full transparency, vet-recommended, grass-fed, free-range, family farms, biologically-appropriate, antibiotic-free, etc." are overused and frankly, have lost their credibility. Know better than to believe these common phrases. Read the ingredients, look for an abundance of meat and meat meals, calculate the carbs, stick to the basics.
- Nulo’s ingredients are high in animal-based protein, use low carbs, low glycemic ingredients and use a patented probiotic that survives the cooking process. Check check check check. This means that your pet is receiving a full amino acid complement when he or she eats their Nulo. We're independently owned so we keep ourselves accountable. We don't cost-optimize and sacrifice quality just to save a few bucks on ingredients and we never cut corners. For real, our founder’s standard has always been "The Max Test" – meaning if he wouldn't feed the food or treat to his own dog, Max, Nulo isn't going to make it for yours.
meet our animal nutritionists
At Nulo, we prioritize the science behind pet nutrition, showcasing our dedication through the employment of three full-time animal nutritionists on staff. This deliberate choice underscores our unwavering commitment to prioritizing nutrition over marketing tactics. These experts serve as the cornerstone of our operation, driving innovation, developing functional solutions, ensuring rigorous food safety standards, and conducting continuous research.
By keeping abreast of the latest advancements and scientific findings, we guarantee that every Nulo product is formulated with precision and backed by rigorous scientific scrutiny, providing pet owners with the assurance that their furry companions receive nothing but the best.
