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What’s in Simply Raw®—and Why Are the Vegetables There?

Writer: Nature's Diet
Nature's Diet
Oct 15
3 min read

If you have ever turned over a bag of dog food and wondered why there are so many ingredients in it, you are not alone. The phrase “obligate carnivore” comes up often in pet-nutrition conversations, but it describes cats more accurately than dogs; dogs can use nutrients from both animal and plant sources, and benefit from a diet which includes both.


Here is the short answer: the meat is the foundation, but it is not the whole meal. Simply Raw® combines meat and organ meat with bone broth, whole egg, fruits, vegetables, seeds, fish oil, probiotics and prebiotics, herbs, vitamins, and minerals. The exact ingredient list varies by flavor, but every part has a place in the finished food.

Meat is the main ingredient


Simply Raw® Beef, Chicken, and Turkey each begin with their named protein. That is the flavor you see on the front of the bag, and it provides the main animal-based protein in the meal.


We also include the corresponding liver, because muscle meat and organ meat do not have the same nutritional profile. Whole egg adds protein and fat, and bone broth brings another animal-based ingredient to the recipe. Together, these ingredients give Simply Raw® its animal-based foundation.


But the bag contains more than just meat. While high protein animal products make up the most important part of a dog's diet, the other ingredients play a crucial role.


Why do dogs need vegetables?

Because they contribute something useful to the meal.


Depending on the flavor, Simply Raw® includes ingredients such as carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, banana, cranberries, purple potatoes, broccoli, apple, peas, spinach, and kale. These fruits and vegetables bring plant-based nutrients, fiber, carbohydrates, and naturally occurring vitamins and minerals to the overall recipe.


Different ingredients do different things. Pumpkin and carrots contribute fiber and plant nutrients. Sweet potato and potatoes contribute carbohydrate and energy. Fruits and leafy vegetables bring their own nutrients and flavors. None of them is meant to be a miracle ingredient, and none is there just for decoration.


What about the seeds, oil, and other ingredients?


Flax seed, chia seed, coconut, and fish oil provide additional sources of fats and fatty acids. Simply Raw® also includes a prebiotic and probiotic blend, brewer’s yeast, kelp, and herbs such as cinnamon, ginger, basil, parsley, sage, thyme, and rosemary.


The vitamins and minerals are important, too. Ingredients such as tricalcium phosphate, selenium yeast, vitamin A, vitamin D3, biotin, niacin, folic acid, and vitamin B12 help supply nutrients that belong in the finished food. They may not be as familiar or appealing as a piece of chicken or a carrot, but they are part of what makes the meal work nutritionally.

The whole recipe is the point


Simply Raw® is formulated to meet the AAFCO dog-food nutrient profiles for all life stages. That statement applies to the finished recipe. It does not apply to any one ingredient by itself.


This is why we encourage you to look at the whole label. The ingredient list tells you what is in the food. The guaranteed analysis gives you a snapshot of selected nutrients. The feeding directions tell you how much to serve. All three pieces matter, especially when switching to a new pet food.


Simply Raw® is made with human-grade ingredients, freeze-dried for pantry storage, and rehydrated with water before feeding. After you add water, some of the produce may remain visible while other ingredients blend into the meal. Either way, the vegetables are there because they belong in the food—not because the food needed a garnish.


When you are ready to restock, add Simply Raw® to your next Nature’s Diet® order.




 
 
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