Beanfreaks

I was only visiting Cardiff but I found myself heading out in search of some gluten free goodies. With free tea and coffee in the hotel room, the only thing that was missing was some nice gf biscuits.
I had a look around some of the little shops and then the Sainsbury’s but then I found Beanfreaks. I did at first think it would be like other health food shops — over priced and a lousy range but this was a surprise.
Gluten free products are actually on three different shelves so its worth looking around. There are all sorts of healthy goods here but the gf range is the best I’ve ever seen. Organ, energie, dietary specials, trufree and tons more, with baking supplies, noodles, pastas, and sweet treats all available. Some times there are deals on — I had to go shopping for some treats to bring back to Edinburgh and would have bought more had it not been for the space restrictions in my luggage.
Great little find — wish we had one in Edinburgh but I did check and can order online :)

I love shopping here for my health supplements, porridge oats and oatbran (for my Dukan Diet). They have a fantastic range of nasty-​free toiletries, and problem diet foods like gluten-​free, diabetic, etc. Also a great place to pick up your Australian Tea-​tree lip salve. Super-​friendly and helpful staff too.

If I had a pound for every hour I’ve spent gaily wandering around Beanfreaks I’d, well, I’d probably go and spend it in Beanfreaks!
Firstly — food! Whether you have a food intolerance, enjoy exotic foods to just want to pick up a snack they have a bit of everything. They are the best place to go for gluten and dairy free food by far, and they have a wide range of vegetarian foods, both frozen, chilled and tinned. They also have a wide variety of cereals, dried pulses and grains. If you like Japanese food this is the best place I’ve found for a variety of noodles, sushi ingredients and more unusual condiments.
The staff are always friendly and helpful with the less simple stuff. They’ll always advise you on supplements, alternative remedies and vitamins. I’ve been in a few times with a mystery problem and they’ve solved it straight away.
For the more environmentally conscious, they have a full range of toiletries, many of which have otherwise only been available online before, cleaning products, feminie products and even make up.
I was sad, however, when they stopped their preferential rates on Sundays for students and pensioners and switched to a lower rate with a card at all times. But I’ll forgive them!

It’s not often that I force myself to go into the centre of town, but Beanfreaks is one of the few places that can draw me in on a reasonably regular basis. I’ve had sinusitis for three weeks now, and decided that I should take some pretty drastic action. A visit to Beanfreaks was imminent! They do a great range of supplements, (including Solar, which although expensive, are a good quality, reliable brand). They also carry an exclusive range of Swiss Herbal products that have proven to be a lifesaver on occasion.
Beanfreaks also have an on-​line shop that supports all of the products in their range. I hate to admit it, but I have considered using this service, rather than trudge into the centre, as I’m no great fan of the shopping precinct area of town! Shame on me! (But in my defence, the last thing you need to do when you are feeling ropey is go shopping in the city centre!!!).
Here’s the full extent of the range of products that they carry:
Aromatherapy
Baby Products
Beverages
Biscuits
Books
Bread
Breakfast Cereal
Confectionary
Copper Bracelet
Cosmetics
Dairy Produce
Flour Baking
Flower Essence
Herbal Remedies
Herbs
Homeopathic
Homeware
Juices
Pet Products
Pulse Nut Fruit
Savoury Foods
Slimming
Smoking
Special Diets
Specific Supplements
Sport Products
Spreads & Honey
Vitamins & Minerals

I likes my beans and I likes Beanfreaks. Set up in 1978 the natural health and beauty store in central Cardiff isn’t very freaky at all! The shop sells a range of products from organic food to cosmetics, vitamin and mineral supplements to baby products and those strange ‘performance enhancement’ concoctions I keep well clear of.
Beanfreaks is a great haven for vegans and vegetarians who want to cook conscientiously but without the nightmare of traipsing about to source the right ingredients from nuts and pulses to seaweed. It is also fab for those with other special dietary needs, a pal of mine raves about Mrs Crimble’s gluten and wheat-​free line.
The staff are friendly and they have always been very helpful with any queries I’ve ever had, big or small. You can buy an extensive list of their yummy products on the Beanfreaks website too. A great, great shop.

With a name like Beanfreaks, it’s fairly obvious this is a health food shop. It’s been in the same place doing the same thing for years and years.
If you’re after vitamin pills, exercise supplements, natural skin care, herbal remedies, baby products, cosmetics or aromatherapy products, you can pick them up here. The rest of the shelves are full of all sorts of health foods including herbs, savoury foods such as pasta and sauces, noodles, vegetarian pâté, spreads and honey, biscuits, dairy produce, pulses, nuts, dried fruits and bread. If you are vegan or have special dietary requirements, this is also your place.
Personally if I go into this shop the one thing I can’t come out without is some Mrs Crimble’s Chocolate Macaroons — they may be far from the healthiest of products I could choose, but I’m pretty sure they’re one of the most delicious!

Ah, Beanfreaks.
This is the kind of shop that I think you have to grow into. Like mushrooms, coffee and red wine. It’s an acquired taste, to be sure. After all, what kind of kid is going to get excited about beans and health food products? A scary kid, that’s who.
But now I find myself wandering in and perusing the shelves to have a gander at what they have on offer and feeling quite embarrassingly inspired to start up my new health régime. This shop is a treasure trove of all things healthy for adults. Because when you’re an adult and finally understand that although green vegetables may not taste as nice as ice cream, they make you feel good in a very different way; different mainly because it is guilt free.
Unless you stole the vegetables, of course.
Then you might be an Extreme Beanfreak, and should distance yourself from allotments and groceries at all costs.

Back in the days when I was a lot fitter and healthier, Benafreaks would be my first and only port of call for creatine and Thermobol.
The guys who work here are always friendly and chatty. As for prices, you may find them cheaper on the net, only just mind. But for the service and immediacy this is a great place for all your health/​sporting needs.

This is a really good health food shop. I found that when I went in — just to stock up on some vitamins because of this competition this weekend — and asked for some help I was treated well by people who seemed to know what they were talking about.
I had a very specific idea of what I wanted but there is a huge range on offer, all at really good prices, so there’s no excuse to be ill anymore!
The only, very slight, problem with the shop is that it’s away from what I would call the main shopping street (i.e. Queen Street) but this is a tiny gripe as it’s near the top of St Mary’s Street and is actually very accessible. I’m just lazy.

This store does a pretty good job and has pretty good products with a decent amount of variety for special-​needs diets.

Beanfreaks has a very extensive range of health food supplements and items for those with specific dietary requirements. I’m a huge fan of the Mrs Crimbles gluten and wheat free products. It’s great to see such variety under one roof — it really is a one stop shop for all your health requirements. They even stock baby food, although not a lot of it, but they are more than happy to order it in for you. They also offer homeopathic and herbal remedies alongside aromatherapy products. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful, nothing is ever too much trouble. As you can probably tell, I’m a big fan!

What a place! Fab!
I have to buy specialist food products and they have such a great range. The staff are friendly and can point you in the right direction if you have any queries.

I agree. I’ve got some good products from this shop when other stores in Cardiff haven’t stocked them.
Friendly, knowledgable staff.

Probably the best health food shop in Cardiff, great for the vegan, vegetarian or those on special diets. Lots of choice; sports supplements, aromatherapy products and books too. Close to the centre of the city too on the main road leading up to the castle.