Rating
Type
Hot Extruded / Dry
Grain
Grain Inclusive
Origin
United States
Recipes
2
Is Rachael Ray Big Life Dry Dog Food Good?
Rachael Ray Big Life Dry Dog Food is a pet food line with a 2.5 stars rating — accounts for 8% of all the pet food we review.
They seem to have a certain level of carbs, and contain some ingredients we concern. We do not recommend this pet food.
What We like
- Use Organic Minerals to Improve Absorption
What We Concern
- More than 37% Carbs
- Include Plant Protein in Top 5 ingredients
- Numberous Controversial Ingredients
- Seems No Probiotics to Aid Digestion
- Contain Potential Allergens like Corn, Soy, Gluten, and Dairy products
- Include Ingredients that might be Related to Poor Digestion
- Contain Ingredients that might be Uncertain
「Chief of Food」Fat Hill
Recipes Rating
Recipes could have different ingredients in the same product line. We rate each recipe and list them from higest to lowest ratings.
Higher protein and lower carbs recipes are rated higher
Recipe and 1st Ingredient
Rating
Grain Free
Rachael Ray Nutrish Big Life Hearty Beef, Veggies & Brown Rice
1️⃣Beef 🍚Carbs：44% 3
Rachael Ray Nutrish Big Life Savory Chicken, Veggies & Barley
1️⃣Chicken 🍚Carbs：44% 3
Tips
Recipes have similar ratings. This means they are quite similar.
Recipe to review
To rate Rachael Ray Big Life Dry Dog Food, we will take one representative recipe to evaluate the nutrition, ingredients and meat content of this product line.
We have chosen Rachael Ray Nutrish Big Life Hearty Beef, Veggies & Brown Rice.
Nutrition Label
Pet food show guaranteed analysis on their labels. It includes moisture and does not reflect the level of carbs — which we prefer lower for dogs and as low as possible for cats.
From the label of Rachael Ray Nutrish Big Life Hearty Beef, Veggies & Brown Rice
Protein
25%
Fat
12%
Fiber
5%
Carbs
?%
Calculate the dry value (no moisture) on a dry matter basis will help us to estimate the carbs level and other nutrition without water — so we can get a better idea about the ratio.
(We think the ideal nutrition profile would be Protein > Fat > Carbs)
| Nutrition | Our Ideal | Dry Value | Like? |
| Protein | 30% or more | 28% | |
| Fat | 15% or more | 13% | |
| Carbs | Less than 28% | 44% | |
| Fiber | Less than 5% | 5.6% |
Ingredients Overview
51 ingredients are listed on the label. We research their quality to pet and use our best judgement to group them in the proportion of Prefer, Concerned, and Notice ingredients in the bar chart.
♨ Allergen
5 units
🌋 Indigest
10 units
⁉ Uncertain
4 units
Organic Minerals Seems to Include
Probiotics Seems Not Included
Prefer
Concerned
Notice
Neutral
Click an ingredient to see the detail
Beef
Animal Protein Excellent source of protein, vitamin B12, zinc, iron. However, red meat contains a higher level of cholesterol which is related to several health issues like heart disease.
Prefer A high-quality animal protein with high digestibility and biological value.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Chicken Meal
Animal Protein A dehydrated form of chicken, it is a meat concentrate that contains up to 4 times more protein than fresh chicken on dry matter basis.
Prefer A high-quality animal protein with high digestibility and biological value.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Soybean Meal
Plant Protein Concentrate ♨🌋
Made by milling soybeans, it contains around 45% protein, is a relatively inexpensive source to boost up the protein level of pet foods.
Notice High level of plant-based protein is not easy to digest and offers less biological value. Good quality pet foods should obtain sufficient protein from animal sources.
♨
Allergen Soy is one of the most reported allergens, causing itchy skin, hair loss, and excessive scratching.
🌋
Related to Digest Legume contains oligosaccharides, which is a 3 - 5 carbon short-chain sugar that are indigestible by dogs / cats.
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Dried Peas
Carbs, Plant Protein 🌋
A type of legume that is added to boost up the protein content and acts as an alternative carb. It contains around 22% protein.
Neutral An acceptable filler with higher nutrition value compared to rice, corn, and wheat.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest Legume contains oligosaccharides, which is a 3 - 5 carbon short-chain sugar that are indigestible by dogs / cats.
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Ground Whole Corn
Carbs ♨🌋
A grain that is often referred as "cheap filler" in pet foods, mainly due to its high carbs content and low to moderate nutrition profile.
Concerned A controversial filler with limited nutrition value to dogs / cats.
♨
Allergen One of the most reported ingredients to be the likely cause of allergies. This could be due to the undiscovered contaminants within corns. Contrary to the real situation, studies show that the chance of getting corn allergy is 14% and only accounts for 3% of allergies.
🌋
Related to Digest It is high in cellulose, which is an insoluble fiber that is hard to digest.
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Chicken Fat
Fat The fatty layer separated during the cooking process, with a high level of omega 6, It is more preferable by dogs and cats over other types of fats.
Prefer A high-quality animal fat with high digestibility and biological value.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Pearled Barley
Carbs ♨🌋
A type of grain that is high in carbs and fiber, along with manganese and selenium.
Concerned An inexpensive filler with gluten, with limited nutrition value to dogs / cats.
♨
Allergen Contains gluten, which is one of the most common allergens that can cause skin rashes, itchiness, and irritation.
🌋
Related to Digest Gluten intolerances can cause damage to the gastrointestinal tract, may result in diarrhea and discomfort stomach.
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Rice Bran
Carbs Studies have shown that rice bran depletes taurine in cats, which is an essential amino acid.
Notice An inexpensive filler without gluten, with limited nutrition value to dogs / cats.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Brown Rice
Carbs Whole grain rice with its bran and germ remained, high in carbs and fiber. Studies have shown that rice bran depletes taurine in cats, which is an essential amino acid.
Notice An inexpensive filler with proven disadvantages offers limited nutrition value to dogs / cats.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Pea Fiber
Carbs 🌋
Produced by separating the starch of peas from fiber, consists mainly of insoluble fiber, contains around 6 - 12% protein.
Concerned A controversial filler with limited nutrition value to dogs / cats.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest Legume contains oligosaccharides, which is a 3 - 5 carbon short-chain sugar that are indigestible by dogs / cats.
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Fish Meal
Animal Protein ⁉
A dehydrated form of unnamed fish. It is a meat concentrate that contains up to 4 times more protein than fresh fish on dry matter basis.
Notice It does not state what kind of fish is used to make the ingredient. Its quality is highly concerned, often seen in low quality pet foods.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain Unnamed fish products could source from sick, deadly animal bodies. It is a potential risk for severe illness.
Pea Starch
Carbs, Plant Protein 🌋
The starchy part of peas after protein is extracted for pea protein products. It mainly consists of carbs and around 13% plant-based protein.
Concerned A controversial filler with limited nutrition value to dogs / cats.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Natural Flavor
Food Additive Made of extracts from plant or animal sources to improve the taste of food.
Concerned Contrary to its name, natural flavors are highly processed and contain many chemical additives.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Dried Carrots
Carbs Well known for its alpha and beta-carotene content, also rich in potassium and vitamin B6. Most pet foods use it as a minor ingredient (include 0.1% to 3% of the total composition).
Neutral Vegetables are fair source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Dicalcium Phosphate
Supplement 🌋⁉
A supplement for calcium and phosphorus. It is mainly used to improve the texture of pet foods. It is also found in some toothpaste as a polishing agent.
Notice A risky supplement that can cause health issues, backed by research studies.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest It does not absorb any water, almost insoluble, and becomes very hard in digesting.
⁉
Uncertain Studies show that it can cause the formulation of kidney stones.
Malted Barley Flour
Carbs ♨🌋
A type of grain that is high in carbs and fiber, along with manganese and selenium.
Concerned An inexpensive filler with gluten, with limited nutrition value to dogs / cats.
♨
Allergen Contains gluten, which is one of the most common allergens that can cause skin rashes, itchiness, and irritation.
🌋
Related to Digest Gluten intolerances can cause damage to the gastrointestinal tract, may result in diarrhea and discomfort stomach.
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Menhaden Fish Oil
Fat Fish oil extracted from menhaden fish. It is an excellent source of omega 3s, DHA, and EPA, which helps reduce inflammation in the body.
Prefer A high-quality animal fat with high digestibility and biological value.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Rice Flour
Carbs Without its bran and germ (the main source of nutrients), white rice is considered as "empty carbs".
Notice An inexpensive filler without gluten, with limited nutrition value to dogs / cats.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Soy Grits
Plant Protein Concentrate ♨🌋
Ground of cleaned, toasted defatted whole soy beans. It is high in fiber and protein, usually added in pet food to enhance the texture of the kiddle.
Concerned High level of plant-based protein is not easy to digest and offers less biological value. Good quality pet foods should obtain sufficient protein from animal sources.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Taurine
Supplement An essential amino acid (building blocks of protein) to maintain a healthy brain and heart functions.
Prefer A safe supplement to improve the completeness of essential amino acids profile (the building block of protein).
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Glycerin
Food Additive ⁉
The synthetic form of glycerin, a food additive for sweetening and binding free water. It improves the taste and prevents mold growth of pet foods.
Notice A food additive that might cause health issues.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain It might be sourced from the processing of biofuel, where residual methanol and sodium-methanol are found. They are flammable and toxic liquid used to make formaldehyde.
Sugar
Carbs It is added to improve texture and enhance flavor of pet food.
Concerned A controversial ingredient that might cause health issues, unnecessary for the risk.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Gelatin
Animal Protein, Food Additive ⁉
Also known as isinglass, it is mainly made of animal skin and collagen. It is a transparent and tasteless gel, and the main component is protein. Gelatin is most commonly used in foods (such as gummies), medicines, or cosmetics.
Notice A food additive that might cause health issues.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain It is made of a mixture of unnamed animals. It could source from sick, contaminated deadly animal bodies. It is a potential risk for severe illness.
Vitamin E Supplement
Supplement Supplement for vitamin E, which is an important antioxidant that protects oxidative damages on cellular membranes by free radicals. A deficiency will result in symptoms like anorexia, depression, and dermatitis.
Neutral A safe supplement for additional vitamins.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Ascorbic Acid
Supplement Supplement for vitamin C, which can help to prevent oxidative damages by radicals, maintain healthy skin, and boost the immune system.
Neutral A safe supplement for additional vitamins.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Niacin
Supplement Known as vitamin B3, essential to maintain healthy GI tracts, skin/coat, and nervous system.
Neutral A safe supplement for additional vitamins.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Vitamin A Supplement
Supplement Supplement of vitamin A, it is essential for healthy skin, normal vision, and immune function.
Neutral A safe supplement for additional vitamins.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Thiamine Mononitrate
Supplement An organic form of thiamine, has 5 - 15% more absorption rate than the inorganic form. It is important for energy production and glucose metabolism.
Neutral A safe supplement for additional minerals.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
D-calcium Pantothenate
Supplement An organic form of calcium, it is essential in the formation of bones / teeth and different cellular functions. Compare to inorganic form, it has 5 - 15% more absorption rate to the body.
Neutral A safe supplement for additional minerals.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Riboflavin Supplement
Supplement A synthetic supplement for vitamin B2. which is vital for the body's metabolism and health.
Neutral A safe supplement for additional vitamins.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
Supplement A synthetical supplement of vitamin B6, which is an essential element for nearly every part of metabolism.
Neutral A safe supplement for additional vitamins.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Vitamin B12 Supplement
Supplement Supplement for vitamin B12, which is vital for carbon transfer and propionate metabolism. A deficiency will result in symptoms similar to gastrointestinal disorders, such as diarrhea and weight loss.
Neutral A safe supplement for additional vitamins.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Folic Acid
Supplement A synthetic form of folate, which is also known as vitamin B9. It plays an important role to support the body's functions, such as cell growth.
Neutral A safe supplement for additional vitamins.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Biotin
Supplement A water-soluble vitamin B that is important for maintaining healthy skin, coat, and nails.
Neutral A safe supplement for additional vitamins.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Vitamin D3 Supplement
Supplement Supplement for vitamin D3 (animal-derived), which is essential for calcium homeostasis - to maintain a constant concentration of calcium. A deficiency will result in osteopenia (lower bone mass).
Neutral A safe supplement for additional vitamins.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Salt
Others Mainly added to enhance the flavor, might cause kidney and blood pressure issues in a larger dose. High-quality pet foods should get a sufficient amount from raw meat, additional salt is not necessary.
Concerned A controversial ingredient that might cause health issues, unnecessary for the risk.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Choline Chloride
Supplement Vital molecule for various functions in the body, lack of choline can result in weight loss, vomiting, and fatty liver.
Neutral A safe supplement for potential health benefits.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Ferrous Sulfate
Supplement An inorganic form of iron. It is essential for the transport and movement of oxygen around the body. Compare to organic form, it has 5 - 15% less absorption rate to the body.
Neutral A safe supplement for additional minerals.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Zinc Sulfate
Supplement An inorganic form of zinc, which is vital in skin function and wound healing, cell replication, the structure and function of biological membranes. Compare to organic form, it has 5 - 15% less absorption rate to the body.
Neutral A safe supplement for additional minerals.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Copper Sulfate
Supplement An inorganic form of copper, which is important for the production of blood cells, hair coat color pigmentation, and maintaining the nervous system. Compare to organic form, it has 5 - 15% less absorption rate to the body.
Neutral A safe supplement for additional minerals.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Sodium Selenite
Food Additive An inorganic selenium supplement. It remains controversial as the long term effect of consuming it is not known, and there is a much safer organic alternative available.
Concerned A food additive that is likely to be safe but unnecessary.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Manganese Sulfate
Supplement An inorganic form of manganese that has 5 - 15% less absorption rate than the organic form. It is essential for the transport and movement of oxygen around the body.
Neutral A safe supplement for additional minerals.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Calcium Iodate
Supplement An inorganic form of calcium, it is essential in the formation of bones / teeth and different cellular functions. Compare to organic form, it has 5 - 15% less absorption rate to the body.
Neutral A safe supplement for additional minerals.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Lactic Acid
Food Additive A by-product of fermentation, used as a food preservative, especially for microbial control including Salmonella in pet foods.
Neutral A harmless food additive.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Mixed Tocopherols
Food Additive A mixture of different types of vitamin E, usually found in plant oils, seed and green vegetables. They are powerful antioxidants used as a natural preservative to slow down the spoilage of food.
Neutral A harmless food additive.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Citric Acid
Food Additive 🌋
A common additive used for fat preservation. It is commonly found in citrus fruit like lemons and limes.
Concerned A food additive that might cause health issues.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest Research suggests that dogs consumed dry foods containing citric acid as a preservative have a 200% increased risk for gastric dilatation-volvulus (bloating). However, more research is required to make a solid conclusion.
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Vinegar
Others Comprised of acetic acid (about 5-10%) and water (about 90-95%). It is added as a natural antioxidant and preservative to prevent spoilage of pet food. Some people suggest it can aid digestion.
Neutral A harmless ingredient with potential health benefits.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Celery Extract
Carbs Source of vitamins A, C, and K, also contains minerals such as folate, potassium, and manganese.
Neutral Vegetables are fair source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Annatto Extract
Food Additive An orange-red condiment and food coloring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree. It is added to provide the redish color to the pet food.
Neutral There is no nutrition value aside from making pet foods look "meaty".
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Rosemary Extract
Carbs A common herb used for cooking, it is rich in antioxidants to fight off radical damages in the body.
Neutral A harmless herb with potential health benefits.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Natural Smoke Flavor
Others A liquid made with real hardwood smoke that adds the smokey aroma and taste in pet food.
Neutral A safe flavor enhancer to improve the taste.
♨
Allergen N/A
🌋
Related to Digest N/A
⁉
Uncertain N/A
Tips
We find 11 Concerned and 8 Notice ingredients from Rachael Ray Nutrish Big Life Hearty Beef, Veggies & Brown Rice. Check from the above list to view the details.Concerned
- Ground Whole Corn
- Pearled Barley
- Pea Fiber
- Pea Starch
- Natural Flavor
- Malted Barley Flour
- Soy Grits
- Sugar
- Salt
- Sodium Selenite
- Citric Acid
Notice
- Soybean Meal
- Rice Bran
- Brown Rice
- Fish Meal
- Dicalcium Phosphate
- Rice Flour
- Glycerin
- Gelatin
Estimated Meat Content
Some pet food uses high plant protein ingredients to boost up the overall protein level — to make it looks like it includes a lot of meat, which is more appealing for customers.
Therefore, protein level itself cannot tell the quality and how much animal ingredients (more digestible than plants) is in the pet food.
Check if protein is overrated by plant protein boost up
Count of Plant Protein
2 / 7 (29%)
in top 7 ingredients Protein Level
28%
in dry matterBy looking at the plant protein in top ingredients and compare with the total protein level, we will try to estimate how much animal ingredients is used in the pet food as Meat Content.
Meat Content
Based on my "godly" guess, the meat content might be Medium !
It looks like it contains a moderate amount of meat. Your furbabies should still be fine with it.
Rachael Ray Big Life Dry Dog Food Product Line Review
To make a conclusion about the whole product line, we will consider all recipes and their average nutrition ratio.
Recipes Average Compares to Ideal Level
In the total of 2 recipes, the group has an average of 28% protein, 13% fat and 44% carbohydrate.
（Protein and Fat: Prefer Higher丨Carbs: Prefer Lower）
- Protein is -2 (%) less than ideal
- Fat is -2 (%) less than ideal
- Carbs is 16 (%) higher than ideal
What does it mean?
Overall,Rachael Ray Big Life Dry Dog Food has an carbs level higher than our preferred level.
Conclusion
Throughout the review, we have 3 major opinons about this pet food line:
- Nutrition ratio, mainly the level of carbs raises our attention
- Ingredients might be worth to take a second look
- Medium level of meat content
Based on these, we can conclude Rachael Ray Big Life Dry Dog Food is a pet food line with a 2.5 star rating.
Do we recommend Rachael Ray Big Life Dry Dog Food ?
There are several things make us concerned, so we do not recommend it. If there is a very strong reason for you to choose it, try to mix with other pet food with higher meat to enrich the diet.
The review is entirely our own view and opinon. It is for informational reference only and not a purchase advice.
「Chief of Food」Fat Hill
Has an unusual obsession with the taste and ingredients of food, over 5+ years experience in professional eating. As the Chief of Food, he will tell you the truth about food.
"Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish, and Stay Hungry again!"
