The scores
NutriSource: C (66/100) — Adult Chicken & Rice formula with chicken meal, brown rice, white rice, oatmeal, and barley as the top five ingredients.
Natural Balance: C (66/100) — L.I.D. Sweet Potato & Chicken formula with chicken, chicken meal, sweet potatoes, peas, and potato protein rounding out the top five.
How the ingredients compare
These two formulas couldn’t look more different from each other, which makes it remarkable that they land at exactly the same score. The first ingredient alone tells you what kind of formula you’re dealing with — NutriSource leads with chicken meal (a concentrated, rendered protein), while Natural Balance opens with whole chicken (mostly water weight).
NutriSource: Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, White Rice, Oatmeal, Barley…
Natural Balance: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Potato Protein…
NutriSource’s top five is dominated by grains — four of five positions are carbohydrate fillers. Brown rice, white rice, oatmeal, and barley make up the bulk of the formula after the protein source. This is an enormous grain load. If you combined all four grain ingredients, they would dramatically outweigh the chicken meal. The formula essentially uses one concentrated protein source surrounded by a wall of starch.
Natural Balance takes the opposite approach with its Limited Ingredient Diet (L.I.D.) line. It uses two chicken-based protein sources (whole chicken + chicken meal) followed by sweet potatoes and peas. The L.I.D. concept is designed to minimize the number of different ingredients, making it easier to identify food sensitivities through elimination diets. However, the inclusion of potato protein at #5 — a concentrated plant protein isolate — adds a processed ingredient that somewhat undermines the “simple” positioning.
Where NutriSource pulls ahead
Concentrated protein first: NutriSource leads with chicken meal rather than whole chicken. This matters more than most people realize. Whole chicken is about 70% water — once the kibble is cooked and that water evaporates, the actual chicken content shrinks dramatically. Chicken meal has already been rendered and dried, so its position at #1 means it truly is the dominant ingredient by dry weight. Natural Balance lists whole chicken first, which looks impressive on the label but provides less protein per unit of weight after processing.
Whole grain nutrition with better digestibility: While NutriSource’s four-grain stack is heavy, the individual grains themselves are high-quality choices. Brown rice retains its bran and germ, providing fiber, manganese, and selenium. Oatmeal is one of the most digestible grains for dogs and provides soluble fiber (beta-glucan) that supports healthy gut bacteria. Barley is a low-glycemic grain rich in chromium and niacin. These aren’t filler grains like corn gluten meal or wheat middlings — they’re whole, recognizable ingredients that most dogs digest well. For dogs that thrive on grains, this combination provides a nutritionally diverse carbohydrate base.
No DCM-associated ingredients: NutriSource’s grain-inclusive approach avoids the legumes and potatoes that the FDA has flagged in its investigation of diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy. Natural Balance’s peas and potato protein are exactly the types of ingredients that appear frequently in DCM-reported diets. While no causal link has been proven, NutriSource eliminates this concern entirely by using traditional grains as its carbohydrate and fiber sources. Shop on Amazon →
Where Natural Balance holds its own
Limited Ingredient Diet for sensitive dogs: Natural Balance’s L.I.D. line is specifically designed for dogs with food sensitivities or allergies. By minimizing the total number of ingredients, L.I.D. formulas make it easier for veterinarians and owners to run elimination diets — systematically removing potential allergens to identify what’s causing a reaction. If your dog has chronic skin issues, ear infections, or digestive problems that may be food-related, a limited-ingredient formula is a practical diagnostic tool. NutriSource’s four different grains, by contrast, introduce more potential allergens and make elimination testing harder.
Dual animal protein sources: Natural Balance includes both whole chicken and chicken meal in its top five, giving it two animal-derived protein sources compared to NutriSource’s single chicken meal. The whole chicken provides fresh, minimally processed protein with natural moisture and flavor, while the chicken meal adds concentrated protein density. This one-two approach means a higher percentage of Natural Balance’s total protein comes from animal sources rather than grains — which matters because animal proteins have a more complete amino acid profile for dogs than plant-based alternatives.
Sweet potatoes over refined grains: Sweet potatoes are a nutrient-dense carbohydrate source that provides beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A), vitamin C, potassium, and dietary fiber. They have a moderate glycemic index and provide sustained energy rather than the quick blood sugar spike that white rice can cause. While NutriSource includes brown rice and oatmeal (both solid choices), it also uses white rice — a refined, low-nutrient grain that’s essentially empty calories. Sweet potatoes offer more nutritional value per calorie than white rice. Shop on Amazon →
The bottom line
This is a genuine tie between two C-grade formulas that serve fundamentally different purposes. NutriSource is the better choice for dogs that digest grains well and whose owners want to avoid the DCM conversation — its concentrated protein lead and diverse whole-grain base provide solid, traditional nutrition. Natural Balance is the better choice for dogs with suspected food sensitivities who need a simplified ingredient list for diagnostic elimination diets or ongoing management of allergies.
Neither formula breaks into the B tier, though, and both have clear weaknesses: NutriSource leans too heavily on grains (four of five top ingredients), and Natural Balance includes processed potato protein that dilutes its “limited ingredient” promise. If you’re looking for a step up from either, the B-grade tier offers stronger options in both grain-inclusive and grain-free categories.