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Orijen vs NutriSource

Orijen vs. NutriSource

In this comparison article for Orijen vs NutriSource, we'll highlight the key differences between these two pet food brands. To properly compare Orijen and NutriSource, 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 NutriSource vs Orijen comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons. If you'd like to see individual product reviews, visit our Orijen Review Page or NutriSource Review Page.

Guaranteed Analysis: NutriSource vs. Orijen

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.

Orijen Dog Food vs. NutriSource Dog Food

Dry Dog FoodOrijenNutriSource
Crude Protein42.9%28.9%
Crude Fat22.6%16.8%
Crude Fiber5.5%7.1%
Wet/Canned Dog FoodOrijenNutriSource
Crude Protein57.4%43.4%
Crude Fat24.7%33.0%
Crude Fiber7.8%7.2%

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.

On average, Orijen dry dog food recipes contain 14.02% more protein than NutriSource recipes. Clearly, there is a significant difference between the protein content of NutriSource and Orijen. Similarly, Orijen wet dog foods provide significantly more protein than NutriSource wet foods.


Crude Fat Comparison For Dog Food

Like protein, fats are an essential part of a dog's body. Fats are needed for the proper development and function of the canine body.

The table shows that NutriSource provides far less fat than Orijen. The difference in fat content is roughly 5.82%. In addition, NutriSource wet dog foods also provide more fat than Orijen wet foods.


As you can see, Orijen and NutriSource guarantee a similar amount of crude fiber. With regards to wet dog food, Orijen and NutriSource also provide roughly the same amount of crude fiber.

Orijen Cat Food vs. NutriSource Cat Food

Dry Cat FoodOrijenNutriSource
Crude Protein44.8%36.4%
Crude Fat21.0%17.9%
Crude Fiber4.0%7.8%

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.

When you look at the average percentages of crude protein for dry cat food, it's clear that Orijen provides significantly more protein. On average, Orijen guarantees about 8.37% more protein than NutriSource.


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):

  • Help transport nutrients across cell membranes
  • Fats produce metabolites, which help control inflammation
  • Maintain healthy blood pressure
  • Slow the growth of yeast infections
  • Fats improve the taste/texture of food.

If you look at the average percentages of crude fat, you'll notice that Orijen typically guarantees 3.04% more fat. This is a fairly small difference between Orijen and NutriSource, but still worth mentioning.


According to our data, NutriSource guarantees 3.88% more fiber than Orijen. Although this difference is relatively small, it's still a notable difference.

Orijen Pet Food Ingredients vs. NutriSource Pet Food Ingredients

Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by NutriSource.

Garlic
Canola Oil
White Rice
Pea Protein
Brewers Rice
Dried Tomato Pomace

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 NutriSource.

Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex

Product Safety: Recall History of Orijen & NutriSource?

Orijen has been recalled once.

  • Nov. 22, 2008: irradiation treatment consequences

According to our records, NutriSource has never been recalled.

Price Comparison: Which Brand Is More Expensive?

Dry Dog FoodOrijenNutriSource
Per Pound$12.58$2.64
Per Calorie$0.0060$0.0015
Dry Cat FoodOrijenNutriSource
Per Pound$6.57$3.25
Per Calorie$0.0036$0.0018

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 Orijen or NutriSource, 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 Orijen or NutriSource will depend on your shopping habits.

Pet owners who use our price comparison feature typically save more than 25% off retail prices for Orijen and NutriSource. In addition, we currently have some great coupons for our readers.


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 Orijen Pet Foods

You can purchase Orijen pet foods from the following stores:


38 Recipes In-Stock Today

38 Recipes In-Stock Today

23 Recipes In-Stock Today

27 Recipes In-Stock Today

Where To Buy NutriSource Pet Foods

You can purchase NutriSource pet food products from these retailers:


75 Recipes In-Stock Today

30 Recipes In-Stock Today

Type Of Pet Foods Available

ProductOrijenNutriSource
Dry Dog Food14 Recipes41 Recipes
Wet Dog Food3 Recipes13 Recipes
Dog Treats13 Treats11 Treats
Dry Cat Food7 Recipes8 Recipes
Wet Cat FoodNone10 Recipes
Cat Treats6 TreatsNone

Top Rated Orijen Recipes

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Top Rated NutriSource Recipes

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Grain Free Cat Food Country Select
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