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Natural Balance &
Taste of the Wild
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Natural Balance &
Taste of the Wild
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Natural Balance &
Taste of the Wild
For New Customers w/ Code: AFPAWDIET
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35% OFF
Natural Balance &
Taste of the Wild
First Auto-Ship
20% OFF
Natural Balance &
Taste of the Wild
First Auto-Ship w/ Code: PAWDIET20
15% OFF
Natural Balance &
Taste of the Wild
For New Customers w/ Code: AFPAWDIET
Natural Balance vs. Taste of the Wild
In this comparison article for Natural Balance vs Taste of the Wild, we'll highlight the key differences between these two pet food brands. To properly compare Natural Balance and Taste of the Wild, we'll use up-to-date nutritional and price information.
There are many factors to consider when choosing the best pet food brand for your pet. Factors such as ingredient quality, guaranteed analysis, product safety, brand history, and cost are among the most important factors to consider.
Throughout this Taste of the Wild vs Natural Balance comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons. If you'd like to see individual product reviews, visit our Natural Balance Review Page or Taste of the Wild Review Page.
Guaranteed Analysis: Taste of the Wild vs. Natural Balance
According to AAFCO, all pet food labels must provide a guaranteed analysis of nutrient content. The analysis must provide guaranteed minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture.
All percentages used in this comparison are averages reported on a dry matter basis.
Natural Balance Dog Food vs. Taste of the Wild Dog Food
| Dry Dog Food | Natural Balance | Taste of the Wild |
| Crude Protein | 27.6% | 32.0% |
| Crude Fat | 14.4% | 17.8% |
| Crude Fiber | 5.2% | 4.6% |
| Wet/Canned Dog Food | Natural Balance | Taste of the Wild |
| Crude Protein | 39.7% | 45% |
| Crude Fat | 20.5% | 20.6% |
| Crude Fiber | 8.5% | 5.6% |
Crude Protein Comparison For Dog Food
Dogs require twenty-two amino acids to sustain life. Twelve of these amino acids are synthesized naturally, the remaining ten are consumed. Protein is the nutrient which provides some or all of these ten essential amino acids.
There is a relatively large difference between the protein content of Taste of the Wild and Natural Balance. On average, Natural Balance dry dog food recipes contain 4.41% less protein than Taste of the Wild recipes. In addition, Taste of the Wild wet dog foods also provide more protein than Natural Balance wet foods.
Crude Fat Comparison For Dog Food
Fats are an absolutely vital component of a balanced canine diet. Not only do fats provide energy, but they also serve important roles in the normal development and function of your dog's body. For example, fats help dogs produce prostaglandins, which reduce inflammation among many other significant functions.
There is a small difference between the fat content of Taste of the Wild and Natural Balance. We can see that Taste of the Wild guarantees about 3.49% more fat than Natural Balance. For wet dog foods, Taste of the Wild and Natural Balance provide roughly the same amount of fat.
There is a relatively insignificant difference between the crude fiber content of the two brands. For wet dog foods, Natural Balance typically provides a little more fiber (about 2.90% more).
Natural Balance Cat Food vs. Taste of the Wild Cat Food
| Dry Cat Food | Natural Balance | Taste of the Wild |
| Crude Protein | 36.8% | 38.4% |
| Crude Fat | 14.3% | 17.8% |
| Crude Fiber | 5.5% | 3.3% |
| Wet/Canned Cat Food | Natural Balance | Taste of the Wild |
| Crude Protein | 46.7% | 44.4% |
| Crude Fat | 20.2% | 16.7% |
| Crude Fiber | 7.1% | 8.3% |
Crude Protein Comparison For Cat Food
Cats require twenty-two amino acids to sustain life. Eleven of these amino acids are synthesized naturally, the remaining eleven are consumed. Protein is the nutrient which provides some or all of these eleven essential amino acids.
Both brands provide roughly the same amount of crude protein. For wet cat foods, Natural Balance typically provides a little more protein (about 2.30% more).
Crude Fat Comparison For Cat Food
There are many ways in which dietary fat contributes to the overall health of our feline friends. Here is a short list of benefits provided by fats (not exhaustive):
- Fats help with the digestion and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
- Reduce inflammation associated with arthritis
- Slow the growth of yeast infections
- Prevent or reduce the likelihood of certain heart problems.
- Aid in the development of the retina and visual cortex.
According to our average data, Natural Balance typically provides less fat than Taste of the Wild. However, this difference is relatively small and doesn't represent a significant difference between the two brands. In addition, Natural Balance wet cat foods also provide more fat than Taste of the Wild wet foods.
If you look at the average percentages of crude fiber, you'll notice that Natural Balance typically guarantees 2.13% more fiber. This is a fairly small difference between Natural Balance and Taste of the Wild, but still worth mentioning. For wet cat foods, Taste of the Wild and Natural Balance provide roughly the same amount of fiber.
Natural Balance Pet Food Ingredients vs. Taste of the Wild Pet Food Ingredients
Natural Balance and Taste of the Wild both use the following controversial ingredients in many of their products:
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Natural Balance.
We believe that certain pet food ingredients are linked to adverse health affects; these ingredients are classified as harmful.
Here are some of the harmful ingredients used only by Natural Balance.
Product Safety: Recall History of Natural Balance & Taste of the Wild?
Natural Balance has been recalled 6 times.
- July 21, 2007: ofbotulinum toxin
- May 4, 2012: Salmonella
- June 18, 2010: Salmonella
- April 27, 2007: Melamine
- April 17, 2007: Melamine
- July 3, 2020: elevated levels of choline chloride
Taste of the Wild has been recalled once.
- May 5, 2012: Salmonella
Price Comparison: Which Brand Is More Expensive?
| Dry Dog Food | Natural Balance | Taste of the Wild |
| Per Pound | $5.23 | $2.30 |
| Per Calorie | $0.0029 | $0.0014 |
| Dry Cat Food | Natural Balance | Taste of the Wild |
| Per Pound | $3.69 | $2.97 |
| Per Calorie | $0.0023 | $0.0018 |
| Wet Dog Food | Natural Balance | Taste of the Wild |
| Per Pound | $6.27 | $3.47 |
| Per Calorie | $0.0137 | $0.0085 |
| Wet Cat Food | Natural Balance | Taste of the Wild |
| Per Pound | $7.63 | $5.72 |
| Per Calorie | $0.0183 | $0.0132 |
The average cost-per-lb is heavily influenced by the varying amounts of moisture present in each brand's food products (wet vs. dry food, dry vs. freeze-dried food, etc). However, the average cost-per-kcal eliminates the influence of moisture. Therefore, the average cost-per-kcal is the better metric to consider.
If you'd like to calculate the average cost-per-day or cost-pet-year of feeding Natural Balance or Taste of the Wild, input your pet's weight into our cost analyzer widget.
Averages price data can identify whether or not there exists a significant price difference between two brands. However, the actual price that you'll pay for Natural Balance or Taste of the Wild will depend on your shopping habits.
Pet owners who use our price comparison feature typically save more than 25% off retail prices for Natural Balance and Taste of the Wild. In addition, we currently have some great coupons for our readers.
- 20% Off First Auto-Ship @ PetFlow (Use Code PAWDIET20)
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Disclosure: PawDiet has an affiliate relationship with stores featured (or linked-to) in this article. We are compensated for referring customers. Thank you for shopping with our retail partners!
Where To Buy Natural Balance Pet Foods
You can purchase Natural Balance pet foods from the following stores:
Where To Buy Taste of the Wild Pet Foods
You can purchase Taste of the Wild pet food products from these retailers:
Type Of Pet Foods Available
| Product | Natural Balance | Taste of the Wild |
| Dry Dog Food | 39 Recipes | 16 Recipes |
| Wet Dog Food | 27 Recipes | 5 Recipes |
| Dog Treats | 33 Treats | None |
| Dry Cat Food | 16 Recipes | 5 Recipes |
| Wet Cat Food | 43 Recipes | 2 Recipes |
| Cat Treats | None | None |
Top Rated Natural Balance Recipes
Top Rated Taste of the Wild Recipes
