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Ingredient file // Flavor

Vegetable Broth

Useful moisture and flavor, little vegetable nutrition

Vegetable broth is the liquid left after vegetables simmer in water and the solids are strained out. In wet food, it supplies liquid and mild flavor. It gives a dog water, but little of the nutrition owners might expect from whole vegetables.

Role in the food Does a job
What it is
A pourable liquid made by cooking vegetables in water and removing most of the solids.
Made from
Vegetables and water
Main job
Moisture and mild flavor
Typical amount
Not published
Watch for
Salt or onion in grocery broth
Not the same as
Whole vegetables

Our read // In our catalog

In 1 of every 68 foods we track

Share of foods that list it

1%

45 of the 3,080 foods with an ingredient list on file, from 15 brands. 44 wet dog food, 1 dog food topper.

Each square is 1% of the catalog

Where it sits on the label

Median position 3. In the top five of 43 foods, so it is usually a main ingredient.

Top five List position, heaviest first

Above the salt

100%

Almost always listed before the salt, so there is more of it than a pinch.

Price per lb

Foods with it $3.68
All foods $3.23

Median of the cheapest bag price across 2 priced foods, 14% above the catalog. The price is the food's, not the ingredient's.

Who leans on it

20%

of the foods that list it are from Koha. 15 brands use it in total.

What it is

How it is made

Commercial stock makers cook vegetables in water, then strain out the pieces to make a pourable liquid. Pet food makers use that liquid where a wet recipe needs moisture and vegetable flavor.4,5,7

  1. 01 // Source Vegetables and water The vegetable mix varies by recipe; water makes up most of the finished liquid.
  2. 02 // Process Simmered Cooking moves some flavor and soluble compounds from the vegetables into the water.
  3. 03 // Process Strained A sieve removes the cooked pieces, leaving a liquid that pours into a recipe.
  4. 04 // Output Vegetable broth The liquid goes into wet food or toppers, where it contributes moisture and mild flavor.

What is in it

Composition, dry matter

98

% water

Water in a ready-to-serve vegetable broth example, as sold. The dry matter rows describe its small remainder, not every pet food broth.

Carbohydrate 47.7%5
Ash 36.4%5
Protein 12.3%5
Fat 3.6%5
Fiber 0%5

These rows convert one ready-to-serve food database entry to a dry matter basis using its published water content. Salt, vegetables and dilution change the result; the dry percentages do not mean broth supplies much food.4,5

Why it is in the bag

Mostly water that sets texture and adds flavor

  1. Main nutrition
  2. Supporting nutrient
  3. Does a job
  4. Mostly filler

Makers add it because a wet food or topper needs liquid to mix, cook and reach its final texture, and broth brings mild vegetable flavor along with that water. A ready-to-serve example is about 98% water with 5 kcal per 100 g, so it adds moisture, not vegetable nutrition. When it sits near the top of a label, that reflects water weight, since ingredients are listed by weight.5,6,7

  1. 01

    Sets wet texture

    A wet recipe needs liquid to mix and form its final texture. Broth supplies that water while carrying some vegetable flavor into the food.5,7

  2. 02

    Adds mild flavor

    Brands use vegetable broth to make a meal more appealing. The liquid carries cooked vegetable flavors, though no controlled dog trial isolates its effect on food preference.2,10

  3. 03

    A commercial liquid input

    An industry ingredient report records vegetable broth as a purchased pet food ingredient. Manufacturers can add a prepared liquid to wet recipes rather than cook vegetables at the food plant.7,8

  4. 04

    Adds water with few solids

    In a ready-to-serve database example, nearly all the broth is water. That lets a maker add moisture without adding much vegetable fiber or protein.5

How much The label gives no amount; wet recipes add liquid to reach their intended texture, so vegetable broth inclusion varies by formula.6,7

Our read // The claims

What the evidence supports

Strong: controlled studies in dogs agree. Some: small or mixed dog data. Thin: mechanism or lab work only. None: nothing, or the evidence points the other way.

  1. Brands say

    Vegetable broth adds water to meals

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    A ready-to-serve vegetable broth entry is about 98% water, so adding it adds dietary water. A 10-dog crossover trial found higher total water intake with moist food, but it did not test vegetable broth.1,5

  2. Brands say

    Vegetable broth tempts picky dogs to eat

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    Brands sell its flavor as an appetite draw. In one dog study, chicken broth improved acceptance of a test liquid to 89.4%. That does not show that vegetable broth makes picky dogs eat more.2,10

  3. Brands say

    Vegetable broth delivers vegetable nutrients

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    The measured database example contains little solid material. A study of 30 assorted broths found that servings supplied under 5% of reference intakes for most minerals tested. Whole vegetables and a balanced diet do the nutritional work.4,5,10

  4. Critics say

    Vegetable broth is just filler

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    The database example is about 98% water, but liquid has a job in wet food: it sets texture and carries flavor. Calling it filler misses that function; treating it as a substantial vegetable serving goes too far.5,7

Straight answers

What owners ask

  1. Q01

    Is it just filler?

    No

    It supplies the liquid a wet recipe needs and carries mild flavor. It supplies little vegetable nutrition, so judge the food by its other ingredients and nutritional adequacy statement.5,6,7

  2. Q02

    Why is broth high on the list?

    Water weight

    Ingredients are listed by weight, and broth is mostly water. A high position shows how much wet liquid went into the recipe; it does not show a large contribution of vegetable solids.5,6

  3. Q03

    Does it count as vegetables?

    Barely

    Most cooked pieces are strained out. The measured broth example has no listed fiber, and broth samples supplied small amounts of most minerals tested. Look for actual vegetables if their presence matters to you.4,5

  4. Q04

    Can I use grocery broth?

    Check first

    Read the full ingredients before pouring it over food. Grocery broth may contain onion, garlic or substantial added salt. Choose a broth without those ingredients, especially for a dog on a prescribed sodium limit.3,4,9

Who uses it

Brands, best sellers and the company it keeps

Top brands, by foods that list it

  1. Koha 9
  2. Merrick 8
  3. I and Love and You 5
  4. Halo 4
  5. Jinx 3
  6. Taste of the Wild 3
  7. TruDog 2
  8. NutriSource 2
  9. Canidae 2
  10. Zignature 2

Plus 5 more brands.

Usually listed with, share of the foods that list it

  1. Dried Egg Product 56%
  2. Carrots 47%
  3. Guar Gum 40%
  4. Sunflower Oil 36%
  5. Beef Broth 31%
  6. Beef 29%
  7. Beef Liver 27%
  8. Natural Flavor 27%
  9. Potatoes 24%
  10. Chicken 22%
  11. Peas 22%
  12. Sweet Potatoes 20%

On the shelf

Foods that list it

45 foods in our reviews list it. Here are some of them.

Blue Basics Skin And Stomach Care Salmon Gravy Dog Food Topper54.5% proteinCanidae All Life Stages , Lamb & Rice Recipe Wet Dog Food36.4% proteinCanidae Pure , Lamb Recipe Grain-Free Wet Dog Food31.8% proteinHalo Elevate Homestyle Bone-In Grain Free Chicken Stew w/ Carrots & Spinach Wet Dog Food23.5% proteinHalo Elevate Homestyle Bone-In Grain Free Chicken Stew w/ Sweet Potatoes Wet Dog Food23.5% proteinHalo Elevate Kettle Cooked Chunky Healthy Grains Chicken Stew w/ Carrots, P Wet Dog Food32.5% proteinHalo Elevate Smoky BBQ Grain Free Glazed Chicken Stew w/ White Potatoes & C Wet Dog Food36.1% proteinHalo Holistic Vegan Plant-Based Recipe Adult Grain-Free Wet Dog Food26.1% protein
Show 38 more TruDog Elevate Homestyle Bone-In Grain Free Chicken Stew w/ Carrots & Spinach Wet Dog Food23.5% proteinTruDog Elevate Homestyle Bone-In Grain Free Chicken Stew w/ Sweet Potatoes Wet Dog Food23.5% proteinJinx Grain-Free Salmon Paté Wet Dog Food36.4% proteinJinx Grain-Free Beef Paté Wet Dog Food36.4% proteinJinx Grain-Free Chicken Pâté Wet Dog Food36.4% proteinKoha Minimal Ingredient Stew Pork Stew Wet Dog Food52.9% proteinKoha Lone Star Brisket Slow Cooked Stew Wet Dog Food47.1% proteinKoha Pike Place Platter Slow Cooked Stew Wet Dog Food47.1% proteinKoha Minimal Ingredient Stew Chicken Stew Wet Dog Food52.9% proteinKoha Minimal Ingredient Stew Turkey Stew Wet Dog Food52.9% proteinKoha Minimal Ingredient Stew Duck Stew Wet Dog Food47.1% proteinKoha Minimal Ingredient Stew Lamb Stew Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinKoha Minimal Ingredient Stew Rabbit Stew Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinKoha Minimal Ingredient Stew Grain-Free Beef Stew Wet Dog Food47.1% proteinOpen Farm Kind Earth Plant Recipe with Ancient Grains Wet Dog Food29.5% proteinKirkland Signature Nature’s Domain , Turkey & Pea Stew, 24-count Grain-Free Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinTaste of the Wild High Prairie Canine Recipe with Bison in Gravy Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinNutriSource Seafood Select Grain-Free Wet Dog Food45.5% proteinNutriSource Trout & Rice Wet Dog Food40.9% proteinVerus Canine Fish & Potato Paté Formula Wet Dog Food36.4% proteinI and Love and You Naked Essentials Cluckin’ Good Stew Wet Dog Food41.7% proteinI and Love and You Naked Essentials Moo Venison Stew Dog Cans Wet Dog Food41.7% proteinI and Love and You Naked Essentials Gobble It Up Stew Wet Dog Food41.7% proteinI and Love and You Naked Essentials Lambarama Stew Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinI and Love and You Naked Essentials Beef Booyah Stew Wet Dog Food41.7% proteinTaste of the Wild Sierra Mountain Canine Recipe with Lamb in Gravy Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinTaste of the Wild Southwest Canyon Canine Recipe with Beef in Gravy Wet Dog Food50.0% proteinZignature Original Food Lamb Formula Grain-Free Wet Dog Food31.8% proteinZignature Original Food Kangaroo Formula Grain-Free Wet Dog Food40.9% proteinHealth Extension Gently Cooked Grain Free Vegetarian Recipe Wet Dog Food43.3% proteinMerrick Slow-Cooked BBQ Braised Beef Grain-Free Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinMerrick Classic Healthy Grains Kitchen Comforts Beef Tips & Rice Stew Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinMerrick Classic Healthy Grains Kitchen Comforts Turkey Meatloaf Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinMerrick Grain Free Pappy’s Chunky Pot Roast Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinMerrick Classic Healthy Grains Kitchen Comforts Lamb Shepherd’s Pie Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinMerrick Slow-Cooked BBQ Chopped Pork Grain-Free Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinMerrick Wilderness Blend Grain Free in Gravy Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinMerrick Grain Free Big Texas Chunky Steak Tips in Gravy Wet Dog Food44.4% protein

Our read // On the bag

Read broth as liquid, then assess the food

On a wet food label, vegetable broth high in the list mostly signals water weight. Check the named foods around it and the nutritional adequacy statement to judge the meal. Broth is useful for moisture and flavor; do not count it as a serving of vegetables. Check ingredients before adding grocery broth.

Sources

What we read

Checked October 1, 2026.

  1. 1 Feeding fresh food and providing water ad libitum is clinically proven to exceed calculated daily water requirements and impact urine relative supersaturation in dogs Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2025 // Journal
  2. 2 Standardization of a Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study Protocol to Investigate Dysphagia in Dogs Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2017 // Journal
  3. 3 Pet food safety: sodium in pet foods Topics in Companion Animal Medicine, 2008 // Journal
  4. 4 Nutritional insights into broths in relation to elemental composition European Food Research and Technology, 2024 // Journal
  5. 5 Soup, vegetable broth, ready to serve WhatYouEat, reproducing USDA FoodData Central data, n.d. // Database
  6. 6 Reading Labels AAFCO, n.d. // Regulator
  7. 7 How wet pet food is made FEDIAF, n.d. // Industry
  8. 8 Pet Food Production and Ingredient Analysis IFEEDER, NARA and Pet Food Institute, 2020 // Industry
  9. 9 People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets ASPCA Animal Poison Control, n.d. // Nonprofit
  10. 10 Vegetable Broth in Dog Food Maev, n.d. // Industry
An ingredient on its own tells you very little. What matters is how much of it there is and where it sits in the list. That is why we weigh the top five rather than reacting to any single name further down. Back to the wiki

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