blackberries

What it is

Whole blackberries, fresh or dried. Nutritionally kin to blueberries: anthocyanin pigments, vitamin C the pet doesn't need (dogs and cats synthesize their own), gentle fiber, and less sugar than most fruit.

Why it's in pet food

Antioxidant marketing and honest palatability. In recipes they ride low on the list in "berry medley" territory; at home they're a fine one-at-a-time treat for dogs that enjoy the pop.

How Bowlmark scores it

Scores are deterministic math over the printed label — the rules below apply to every product identically, and nothing estimates or fills in a blank.

Neutral: blackberry is not a whole-foods bonus term — the engine's produce list rewards a short, named roster (blueberries and cranberries carry the berry flag) and everything else passes unscored. No deduction, no flag, no dose concern at treat scale. The difference between a bonus berry and this one is roster membership, not nutrition.

Read the full methodology

Foods that list blackberries

No food on the shelf lists blackberries yet. Scan a bag that does and its label joins the catalog — versioned from the day it arrives.

Sources

• WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee — Selecting a pet food
• NRC Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats (2006)

Related ingredients

• artichoke
• bananas
• beets
• blueberries
• broccoli
• butternut squash

Further reading

• The marketing dictionary: which label words mean anything
• How to read a pet food label