Today I spent the afternoon in a town not far from me called Cheltenham. While there I visited a new place I have never been before, an awesome health food superstore.

I was searching online for good organic health-food shops and this one came up. It's funny because I lived in Cheltenham for over a year about a year ago and I never knew this wonderful little gem of a shop even existed!

Here is their website, it contains full product listings: http://www.naturalgrocery.co.uk/

While in conversation with the lovely staff working here I asked how long they had been established. They said since the mid 90's closer to the town center, and then in 2005 they relocated to this larger but cheaper location a few miles from the towns main shopping area.

I was prepared so spend as much money as I wanted here after seeing how great their website was and other pictures online of what the place looked like and all the wonderful food they stocked.

As you can see I picked up quite the haul. Bellow is their address so if you happen to be in the area you can pay them a visit. I would highly recommend it. I would say it is the best health food store I have seen in the county and the staff were very kind and helpful. 11 out of 10 Goji berries for sure! :D

The Natural Grocery Store, 150-156 Bath Road, Cheltenham GL53 7NG, United Kingdom

All the fresh fruit and veg is organic, and mostly grown locally or nationally by Worker Cooperatives.

Although they do not sell meat products they do sell free range organic egg and dairy products. There are however a plethora of meat substitute products, that imitate things like sausages, chicken pieces, beef burgers etc.

So if you are a meat eater or just a vegetarian there is something for everyone. They also stock a wide range of ecologically friendly household cleaning products, along with an assortment of ethical beauty products and supplements. Almost all the items in the store are sourced from co-operative initiatives, where they are produced organically and ethically, where all involved get a fair deal.

That is one thing I always try to do: buy fair trade products. Most of the food sold in the more mainstream shops is sourced from places where the workers may only be paid enough to barely live on, not to mention the unsustainable and destructive agricultural practices that mass produce much of the food around.

They also have a huge selection of teas along with a treats section which has all manner of delicious delights:

Breakdown of My Shop

First I will start with all the organic fruit and veg I got:

2 Oranges, 3 Nectarines & 1 Peach & 2 Avocados

Oranges have their origins in Asia and were not widely cultivated in Europe until around the 15th century. Before the 20th century oranges where very expensive and could only be afforded by the very rich individuals within society. They are also said to be one the healthiest foods on the planet. They have many disease fighting properties that have been demonstrated in numerous modern scientific studies:

http://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/3/1/170/pdf

Oranges have a lot of vitamin C which is great for boosting the body’s antioxidative power and to maintain a healthy immune system. Often if one consumes large amounts of this vitamin at the first signs of a cold it can be quickly dispelled.

An antioxidant is a molecule that inhibits the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals, leading to chain reactions that may damage cells. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioxidant

“This food is very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, niacin and potassium, and a very good source of vitamin C,” Self NutritionData says in regard to Peaches

livestrong.com has the following to say about Nectarines:

[Nectarines offer a]...wide range of other vitamins and minerals you need to eat each day. A 1-cup serving of nectarines supplies 2.4 g of fiber and 1.5 g of protein. A serving of nectarine will also provide 9 mg of calcium, 13 mg of magnesium and 287 mg of potassium. Nectarines also contain iron, folic acid, vitamin K, as well as naturally occurring sugars that help provide energy.

I just love fruit because it tastes to good and makes me feel so good. I have always loved fruit. My parents brought me up to be vegetarian and so we always had fresh fruit around the house. I also remember having a friend when I was younger whose parents owned a fruit and veg shop and we would always sneak into the warehouse and pilfer the produce. It was so much fun! I think that it depends a lot on things like this if one is to continue the healthy habit of eating fruit throughout one’s lifetime. Good habits and memories at a young age help immensely.

Beetroot

Per 100g Beetroot has around 50 calories, 2g or protein, 10g of carbohydrate and 3g of fibre. It is best after being steamed or boiled and you can keep the water you used afterwards as a great iron-rich drink filled with loads of other essential vitamins and minerals.

There is much evidence to suggest the cancer fighting properties of Beetroot too:

http://www.library.nhs.uk/details.aspx?t=betacyanin&stfo=True&sc=evi,gui,spl,bnj,img,fop&p=1&sf=srt.default&sr=bnj.pub&sfld=&tab=&did=21434853&pc=9&id=0

One thing is for sure, this is a true superfood and one of the best root vegetables you can get. I used to grow them in my old house and that is when it is at its best: picked and eaten fresh within hours. Nothing compares to that!

Blueberries

These are some really special Blueberries.They are organically grown within Dartmoor National park, one of the largest nature reserves in the Great Britain. Not only that, but they are nourished by the water from a natural spring! I can tell you now I have never tasted Blueberries like this, so, so good!

The National Health Service or the NHS praises this superfood highly stating:

The granddad of the superfood trend, this cute little North American fruit packs a powerful nutritional punch. Blueberries are a good source of vitamin K. They also contain vitamin C, fibre, manganese and other antioxidants (notably anthocyanins). Valued for its high levels of antioxidants, some nutritionists believe that if you make only one change to your diet, it should be to add blueberries. Die-hards claim blueberries can help protect against heart disease and some cancers, as well as improve your memory.

I love them in smoothies too. They are so delicious!

Savse Super Red Cold Pressed Juice (contains Strawberry, Orange, Kale, Spinach, Broccoli & Celery)

Savse is a great company that makes cold pressed juices. Here is their official page for this particular drink:
http://savse.com/product/super-red/

Being cold pressed means that none of the nutrients are lost like with the heat treatment of traditional pasteurization.

Kale and Spinach are two great vegetables. Leafy green vegetables offer some of the best protein around. Not to mention their high iron and calcium content.

Gourmet Beanfeast Pâté

I use these types of pâtés as a sandwich filler or dip if they are soft enough. This one contains Black Eyed Beans, Black Turtle Beans, Pinto Beans Haricot Beans, Butter Beans, Aduki Beans & Mung Beans!

There are many advantages to buying and eating the many varieties of beans. They are certainly one of the most cost effective means of getting protein if brought dry in bulk. They are also a powerhouse of nutritious goodness, being excellent sources of fibre, magnesium, potassium and zinc.

The way in which proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and mineral interact within the body is a very complex science. It is proven beyond a doubt that if you eat too much processed junk food you will not get enough of these essential fuels for your bodies maintenance.

This is often why the large majority of individuals on such diets suffer from lethargy, fatigue and depression. The best way to fight these common traits among many is to eat a fresh organic whole food, plant based vegan diet. This allows one to maximize ones intake of the best forms of quality nutrients the body needs and minimizes harmful substances that one should not ingest if one wants a long happy and healthy life.

Almonds

Because I love nuts so much, and Almonds in particular, to do this world class super food justice I will include a video next that outlines in detail more accurately and comprehensively than I could in writing:

Cashew Butter

I included raw cashews in a previous edition of this series and I realize that this post is getting long, so I will only talk briefly abut this item. Cashews in butter form are a great source of B1, B2, B3 and vitamin E.

Wholemeal Bread Loaf

It is always better to purchase brown bread if you can because it is not processed as much as white. White bread has the bran and germ of the wheat grain removed making it far less nutritious and also white bread often has a lot of added sugar and other chemicals which make if less healthy, like residual bleach.

Quinoa Chips Chilli & Lime

I have never tried this variety before, so I picked these up to snack on. They were actually quite spicy!

livescience.com outlines the best reason why this super gain is a great addition to ones diet:

Quinoa is most famous for being one of the only plant foods that supplies complete proteins, offering all essential amino acids in a healthy balance…Essential amino acids are ones that the body cannot produce on its own, and complete proteins contain all of them in roughly equal measure. There are nine essential amino acids, listed by the National Institutes of Health as the following: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. Unlike other grains, quinoa is a particularly good source of lysine, according to the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. Quinoa and other whole grains also contain 25 percent more protein than refined grains.

Here is the study mentioned above: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20814881

Lastly I picked up some tea, a Green Tea and Ginseng combo.