9 Healthy and Nutritious Foods You Should Try

One of the biggest gripes I’ve had since starting my vegan experiment is “Oh no, I could never try vegan because I love food too much”.

Honestly, this complaint about going vegan is complete nonsense.

I have NOT sacrificed flavour during my admittedly short vegan journey. In fact, as my vegan experiment has been so short, I can only think I’m going to find tons of new ways to ramp up my taste buds!

The way I see it, and it’s becoming more and more clear the more I learn about veganism and the whole rotten food industry is this…

The ‘processed food industry’ KNOWS there are tons of really nutritious and flavourful foods out there, so they must do their very best to ‘confuse’ the public about food.

Therefore, this blog post has been written not just for the regular Bum Gun Community, but for everyone out there thinking about improving their diet and overall well-being.

As we should all know obesity in the United Kingdom is a massive problem and it is surely one of the leading preventable causes of death.

One of the last figures I saw was that as many as 68-70% of adults in England were classified as overweight.

And even more worrying is that obesity problems in the United Kingdom is only getting worse.

Look, don’t believe what the ‘processed food industry’ wants you to believe. You do NOT have to sacrifice flavour when you make better nutrition choices.

Healthy food does not have to be boring and unpalatable.

With a bit of smarts you’ll find tons nutrition-boosting ways to satisfy your sweet, spicy, and savoury cravings.

You can build muscle, boost your immune system, and discover new found energy levels with some of these awesome foods.

1. Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are a new food for me. They are not super tasty, but they do have a subtle nutty flavour which I’ve found great in my morning smoothie.

These little seeds are one of the richest sources of a compound called alphalinolenic acid, which is an essential omega-3 fatty acid that should protect you against heart disease and stroke.

I believe the best way is to ground your flaxseeds up for a few seconds before banging them in your smoothie or salad to speed up their health-boosting benefits to your body.

2. Acai berries

Acai berries have a deep purple colour and a sweet flavour, a bit like blackberries.

They’re one of the most popular superfoods, and are packed with a huge amount of antioxidants and nutritious plant chemicals.

If you can’t find acai berries in the fruit section of your local supermarket, look in the frozen section for this superfood. Most supermarkets have frozen acai packets.

Make sure there is no added sugar.

3. Ginger

I’ve always loved ginger, as my wife used to make a great chicken and ginger dish.

But now we’re on this vegan journey. We have to look for new ways to enjoy this great food.

Ginger is known for its great health benefits, including improving cardiovascular function, boosting digestion and immunity, relieving pain, and reducing inflammation.

Ginger contains gingerol, which has powerful medicinal properties and can help with nausea and morning sickness.

Try adding grated ginger to a salad, or sprinkled over pork chops if you eat meat.

4. Goji berries

These tiny super-berries are a new super food to me. But I’ve been reading rave reports about them.

The goji berry, also called the wolfberry, is a bright orange-red berry that comes from a shrub that’s native to China. In Asia, goji berries have been eaten for generations in the hope of living longer.

They are also a great source of protein.

And contain high levels of antioxidants and trace minerals, like copper, iron, zinc, calcium, germanium, phosphorus, and selenium.

Therefore, it makes sense to add a few into your morning smoothie. Right?

They also contain B vitamins and vitamin E.

Go on, grab a bag or two, and see for yourself.

5. Greek yogurt

You might already have this in your diet. But if not, why not try a dollop in your smoothie for that extra creamy texture.

Non-fat Greek yogurt is amazing for your body.

I read an 8-oz serving offers up nearly 20g of muscle-building protein.

Try on a bowl of mixed seeds and nuts for a healthy snack. Try sesame, melon, sunflower and chia seeds mixed with a few spoons of greek yoghurt and some chopped fruit. Or as a treat on top of a bowl of muesli.

6. Pistachios

I’ve always loved a bag of pistachios. But I must say they can be pretty pricey sometimes.

This nut has a delicious flavour, and a loads of health benefits.

Pistachios are obviously a great source of protein and fibre. But you might not know they are high in antioxidants and potassium.

And did you know they have healthy monounsaturated fats that may help lower your bad cholesterol levels and protect against possible heart disease?

Pistachios are also said to reduce your body’s response to stress, so perhaps add these to your diet to beat that 2pm sluggishness we often feel. I know I do.

7. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a new food for me since I started my vegan adventure.

But I’ve found that when you cook sweet potatoes cooked, an enzyme inside breaks down the starch and turns it into maltose.

This is responsible for the sweet flavour.

A great benefit of adding these to your diet is they are full of the antioxidant beta-carotene. And your body will convert this into vitamin A.

Remember vitamin A is vital for healthy vision, immunity, and for preventing some types of cancer.

Sweet potatoes are also low in calories and high in fibre.

This makes them an ideal food if you are on a weight loss program.

8. Juicy Pineapple Treat

I love a generous helping of juicy pineapple to start my day.

Pineapple is great in a morning smoothie or straight after exercise.

It naturally contains sugar, so moderation is crucial.

But pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain that helps improve digestion and also acts as an anti-inflammatory.

You might prefer frozen pineapple if you’re pushed for time cutting it up. It can be a sticky mess sometimes, agreed. But the benefits are worth the brief struggle.

9. Dark chocolate

Last but not least is the chocky treat. Doesn’t everyone like a bit of chocolate now and then?

If you are a health conscious fanatic you probably have less than us mere mortals. But as any lover of this treat knows, you can’t beat this super food and its base of cacao beans.

Reportedly, cacao beans have some of the largest concentrations of antioxidants.

Obviously you want to go easy on it. But why not try a couple of chunks in one of your smoothies?

Ok, so they you have my brief venture into some highly nutritious and tasty foods Im having more of in my quest for the perfect vegan diet.

If you give some of these foods a try, you’ll soon discover that all the baloney about a vegan diet being boring and unpalatable is complete nonsense.

As always, drop me an email at info (at) thebumgun.com or leave a comment below and let me know how you are going.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Greg Noland

CEO & Founder

The Bum Gun Ltd