Neutral · Pulse legume

Peas

Also appears on labels as: pea, green peas, whole peas, whole green peas, whole yellow peas, split peas

Peas, lentils, chickpeas, and beans, whole or milled into flour, starch, and fiber fractions.

Watched ingredients get highlighted on every product panel you open.

Where it comes from: Pulse growers, heavily Canadian and North Dakotan.
Why it's in the product: Carbohydrate, plant protein, and fiber. Pulses are the backbone of most grain-free formulas.
Safety and toxicity: Pulses themselves are not toxic. But this is the one plant ingredient with an open regulatory question attached: since 2018 the FDA has been investigating a possible link between grain-free diets high in peas, lentils, and potatoes and dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs. The investigation has not established causation, and peas keep coming up as the ingredient most statistically associated with the reported cases.
Interactions and who should be careful: Worth an actual conversation with your vet if you feed a grain-free, pulse-heavy diet, particularly for breeds already predisposed to DCM such as Dobermans, Great Danes, and Boxers.

General reference, not veterinary advice. Dose, breed, and existing conditions change the answer, so talk to your vet before changing what your pet eats. Think we got this wrong? Tell us and we log it publicly.