I AND LOVE YOU is a Colorado-based pet food brand. They position themselves as a premium brand in the dry dog food market (they also have wet food). Launched in 2012, they offer several product lines including Naked Essentials, Nude Food, and Baked & Saucy collections. Their marketing heavily emphasizes grain-free formulations and the use of natural ingredients.
✅ Pros
- No Synthetic Additives: Free from chemically synthesized vitamins, minerals, amino acids, or pre-mixes.
- No Corn, Soy, Gluten : Most formulas avoid these common allergens.
- Good Protein Content: Most formulas contain above-average protein levels (30-34%).
- No Artificial Preservatives: Avoids all preservatives, including mixed tocopherols.
- Non-GMO Verified: All formulas are certified non-GMO.
- No High Glycemic Ingredients: Good glycemic control across formulas.
- Added Taurine: Important addition in grain-free formulas.
- Fresh Meat First: All formulas list fresh meat as the first ingredient (chicken, lamb, beef).
- Moderate Carbohydrate Content: Especially in Nude Super Food range.
- Animal protein: Approximately 70-75% of total protein content in some recipes.
- Responsive support
- Alternatives available : the brand also produces raw food, which is a great alternatives to kibbles.
❌ Cons
- High Ash Content: formulas studied here exceed 8% ash (except Naked Essentials® – Chicken + Duck), suggesting either significant use of bone/cartilage-rich animal parts, heavy mineral supplementation, or both. In conjunction with high calcium and phosphorus levels, this indicates potential quality concerns with animal protein sources.
- Excessive Mineral Levels: Particularly high calcium (1.61-1.86%) and phosphorus (1.18-1.30%) across formulas, further supporting the presence of significant bone content in animal ingredients.
- Ingredient Splitting: Plant proteins appear multiple times in ingredient lists under different names.
- Limited Veterinary Involvement: No clear indication of veterinary nutritionist involvement in formulation.
I And Love You Dry Food Review Review Ratings
We will provide a detailed analysis of one recipe, followed by quick reviews of a few other recipes from the brand.
I And Love You Dry Nude Super Food – Poultry Palooza
55/100
INGREDIENTS
| Criteria | Evaluation | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrate Content | 🟢 29% | A moderate carbohydrate level that can suit most healthy dogs. This level offers a good balance between energy supply and weight management. |
| Protein Content | 🟢 34% | This protein level is suitable for active dogs and helps maintain healthy muscle mass. Good starting point, quality verification needed. |
| Protein-Calorie Ratio | 🟢 86 | Excellent ratio indicating good protein density relative to calories. Supports muscle maintenance while helping manage weight. |
| Protein-Phosphorus Ratio | 🟠 27.4 | Lower than optimal, suggesting protein sources might include significant bone content and lower quality animal parts. |
| Protein-Ash Ratio | 🟠 3.98 | Indicates moderate quality protein sources. Higher ratio would suggest better quality meat content. |
| Fat Content | 🟢 13% | Optimal fat content within 10-15% range. Good for energy needs while maintaining healthy weight. |
| Ash Content | 🟠 8.55% | Above recommended maximum of 8% |
| Fiber Content | 🟢 4% | Good fiber level supporting healthy digestion without excess. |
| Moisture Content | 🟢 10% | Normal moisture level for dry food, indicating appropriate processing. |
| Calcium Content | 🔴 1.86% | Very high calcium level, exceeding recommended maximum. Potential long-term health concern. |
| Phosphorus Content | 🟠 1.24% | A bit higher than ideal. |
| High Glycemic Ingredients | 🟢 None | No high glycemic ingredients in main components, supporting stable blood sugar. |
| Animal vs Plant Protein | 🟢 70-75% | Animal proteins content seems quite good for better amino acid profile and digestibility. |
| Quality of Animal Proteins | 🟠 Fresh + Meals | Contains mix of fresh meat and quality meals, though heavily reliant on poultry sources. The calcium content may suggest it can be improved. |
| Preservatives | 🟢 Natural | Uses natural preservatives (mixed tocopherols). |
| Manufacturing Location | 🟠 US/Thailand | Split manufacturing between USA and Thailand raises some concerns about quality control. |
| Cooking Method | 🟠 Standard | Standard extrusion process, not optimal but standard for the industry. There are others methods like the one used by Carn4 that seems to preserve more nutrients compared to traditional extrusion methods. |
| Fat Quality | 🟢 Named | Named sources of fats (chicken fat, fish oil), clearly identified but Not specified whether fish oil is wild-caught or farmed. |
| Calcium/Phosphorus Ratio | 🟠 1.5:1 | At upper limit of acceptable range. |
| Omega-6/3 Ratio | 🟠 4.6:1 | Could be improved for better anti-inflammatory benefits. |
| Brand Transparency | 🟠 Moderate | Good ingredient transparency but limited manufacturing process information. |
| Veterinary Formulation | 🔴 Not specified | No clear indication of veterinary involvement in formula development. |
| Non-GMO Status | 🟢 Verified | Verified non-GMO ingredients. |
| Corn/Gluten/Wheat/Soy | 🟢 Free | Free from all these ingredients. |
| Human Grade | 🔴 No | Not specified as human grade. |
| Organic Certification | 🔴 No | Not certified organic. |
| Scientific Research | 🟠 No information | – |
| Added Taurine | 🟢 Yes | Taurine added to grain-free formula. |
Naked Essentials® Puppy – Chicken + Lentil
59/100
This puppy formula demonstrates thoughtful consideration for developmental needs. It features 32% protein content and includes DHA (0.05%), essential for brain growth. Menhaden fish meal serves as a quality DHA source. The protein-to-fat ratio (32:15) suits growing puppies. The mineral content shows relatively high levels with 8.53% ash, 1.67% calcium, and 1.21% phosphorus – these levels are at the upper end of typical ranges for puppy food. Multiple fermentation products indicate digestive support. However, the high placement of peas on the ingredient list suggests some protein may derive from plant sources rather than meat.
🟢 Fats: 15.0%
🔴 Ash: 8.53%
🟠 Fiber Content: 5.0%
🟢 Moisture: 10.0%
🔴 Calcium Content: 1.67%
🔴 Phosphorus Content: 1.21%
🟢 Metabolizable Energy: 3554 kcal/kg
🟠 Omega-3: 0.5%
🟢 Omega-6: 2.2%
🟢 Carbohydrate Content: 28%
🟢 Protein/Calorie Ratio: 90.0
🟠 Calcium/Phosphorus Ratio: 1.38
🔴 Fat/Protein Ratio: 46.88%
🟠 Animal protein: 60-70%
🟢 High Glycemic Ingredients: None
🟢 Corn, Gluten, Wheat, Soja: No
🟠 Chelated Minerals: Mix
Baked & Saucy – Beef + Sweet Potato
54/100
This formula ranks lower but offers some unique qualities. The bone broth coating enhances palatability. With 16% fat and 28% protein, it may not suit all dogs. The mineral profile shows 8.36% ash, 1.40% calcium, and 1.07% phosphorus, maintaining an acceptable calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of 1.31:1. Chelated minerals are a plus for absorption. However, pea flour high in the ingredient list raises concerns about plant-based protein boosting.
🟢 Fats: 16.0%
🔴 Ash: 8.36%
🟠 Fiber Content: 5.0%
🟢 Moisture: 10.0%
🟠 Calcium Content: 1.40%
🟢 Phosphorus Content: 1.07%
🟢 Metabolizable Energy: 3575 kcal/kg
🟢 Omega-3: 0.70%
🟢 Omega-6: 2.50%
🟠 Carbohydrate Content: 31%
🟠 Protein/Calorie Ratio: 78.0
🟢 Calcium/Phosphorus Ratio: 1.31
🔴 Fat/Protein Ratio: 57.14%
🟠 Animal protein: 60-70%
🟢 High Glycemic Ingredients: None
🟢 Corn, Gluten, Wheat, Soja: No
🟠 Chelated Minerals: Mix
Naked Essentials® – Chicken + Duck
56/100
This formula delivers 30% protein and 14% fat, with dual poultry sources providing a good amino acid profile. It contains 7.94% ash (one of the lowest in the line), 1.61% calcium, and 1.18% phosphorus, showing better mineral levels than other varieties. Fermentation products support digestion, but dried chickpeas and lentils high on the list suggest reliance on plant proteins. The omega-3 to omega-6 balance is adequate for maintenance.
🟢 Fats: 14.0%
🟠 Ash: 7.94%
🟠 Fiber Content: 4.5%
🟢 Moisture: 10.0%
🔴 Calcium Content: 1.61%
🟠 Phosphorus Content: 1.18%
🟢 Metabolizable Energy: 3524 kcal/kg
🟠 Omega-3: 0.65%
🟢 Omega-6: 2.50%
🟠 Carbohydrate Content: 31.5%
🟢 Protein/Calorie Ratio: 85.0
🟢 Calcium/Phosphorus Ratio: 1.36
🟠 Fat/Protein Ratio: 46.67%
🟠 Animal protein: 60-70%
🟢 High Glycemic Ingredients: None
🟢 Corn, Gluten, Wheat, Soja: No
🟠 Chelated Minerals: Mix
Naked Essentials® – Lamb + Bison
54/100
With 30% protein and 15% fat, this formula features novel proteins like lamb and bison which could potentially attract owners of dogs with sensitivities. However, while these novel proteins are often sought for sensitive dogs, the presence of multiple protein sources (lamb, chicken meal, turkey meal) makes this formula less than ideal for this purpose, as single-protein diets are generally easier to digest and reduce the digestive system’s workload. The ash content is notably high at 8.90% (highest in the line), with 1.74% calcium and 1.30% phosphorus, suggesting heavy mineral supplementation.
🟢 Fats: 15.0%
🔴 Ash: 8.90%
🟠 Fiber Content: 4.0%
🟢 Moisture: 10.0%
🔴 Calcium Content: 1.74%
🟠 Phosphorus Content: 1.30%
🟢 Metabolizable Energy: 3509 kcal/kg
🟠 Omega-3: 0.65%
🟠 Omega-6: 2.5%
🟠 Carbohydrate Content: 31%
🟠 Protein/Calorie Ratio: 85.0
🟢 Calcium/Phosphorus Ratio: 1.34
🟢 Fat/Protein Ratio: 50.00%
🟠 Animal protein: 60-70%
🟢 High Glycemic Ingredients: None
🟢 Corn, Gluten, Wheat, Soja: No
🟠 Chelated Minerals: Mix
Our Opinion
Looking beyond the packaging and marketing, I AND LOVE YOU shows some interesting aspects. While they do offer freeze-dried options (which is a positive point), let’s focus on their main kibble lines.
At first glance, there are several good points: fresh meat as first ingredients, grain-free recipes, and good protein levels. However, our nutritional analysis reveals some areas for improvement.
One point of attention is the ash levels (8.36-8.90%), which are consistently high across all formulas. This suggests the presence of notable bone content in the meat ingredients, or significant mineral supplementation. The mineral content is elevated (calcium up to 1.86%), which warrants attention when choosing this food for long-term feeding.
On the positive side, they include important features like taurine in their grain-free formulas and use natural preservatives. The use of both animal and plant proteins is common in this price segment of the market.
