Introduction
We know that protein is important for our health. It plays a crucial role in many of the body's functions, including growth, repair, the immune system and, of course, building muscles! But has our love for protein come at the expense of other important food groups, like fibre? Neil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.
This week's question
What is Irishman Patrick Callahan famous for?
a) owning a company which makes protein shakes
b) winning the 2024 Mister Universe bodybuilding contest
c) discovering a new protein in outer space
Listen to the programme to hear the answer.
We know that protein is important for our health. It plays a crucial role in many of the body's functions, including growth, repair, the immune system and, of course, building muscles! But has our love for protein come at the expense of other important food groups, like fibre? Neil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.
This week's question
What is Irishman Patrick Callahan famous for?
a) owning a company which makes protein shakes
b) winning the 2024 Mister Universe bodybuilding contest
c) discovering a new protein in outer space
Listen to the programme to hear the answer.
Vocabulary
cast your eye over (something)
look quickly at (something)
in abundance
in large quantities; more than enough
health halo
consumer perception of food which overestimates how healthy an item is based on a single feature – such as being low in calories, organic or high in protein – even if its overall nutritional value is poor
the tide is turning
(idiom) things are beginning to change
fibermaxxing
American social media trend where people intentionally consume high levels of fibre by eating fibre-rich foods and supplements for their health benefits
hack
a good solution or piece of advice
cast your eye over (something)
look quickly at (something)
in abundance
in large quantities; more than enough
health halo
consumer perception of food which overestimates how healthy an item is based on a single feature – such as being low in calories, organic or high in protein – even if its overall nutritional value is poor
the tide is turning
(idiom) things are beginning to change
fibermaxxing
American social media trend where people intentionally consume high levels of fibre by eating fibre-rich foods and supplements for their health benefits
hack
a good solution or piece of advice
TRANSCRIPT
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.
Neil
Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.
Georgie
And I'm Georgie. Neil, we're talking about protein today. What type of protein do you usually eat?
Neil
Well, I like all kinds of proteins – fish, bit of chicken – but I think I really like an egg. An egg is my favourite kind of protein.
Georgie
Ah, I was going to say that too. I'm a big fan of breakfast foods and eggs are my favourite.
Neil
Well, you can't beat a good breakfast! Of all the main food groups, such as carbohydrate, fat and fibre, it's protein that seems to be most in the news. In shops and on social media, you'll find all kinds of high-protein foods being advertised, from shakes and yoghurts to chocolate. Here's Ruth Alexander, presenter of BBC World Service programme The Food Chain:
Ruth Alexander
Cast your eye over most aisles in the supermarkets now and you'll see high protein products in abundance: pasta made with lentils and chickpeas rather than wheat flour, bread fortified with beans and pulses.
Georgie
Ruth casts her eye over the supermarket shelves. If you cast your eye over something, you take a quick look at it.
Neil
What she sees are protein products in abundance – in other words, in large quantities. Products which already contain protein, like yoghurt, are re-packaged as 'high-protein', while other items have extra protein added, often in the form of beans and pulses. Protein is big business!
Georgie
Our bodies need protein for health and to build muscle, but with all this focus on protein, are we forgetting about other important nutrients, such as fibre? That's what we'll be discussing in this programme, hearing some useful new words and phrases.
Neil
But first I have a question for you, Georgie. The popularity of protein started with bodybuilders and people working out in gyms, who ate extra protein to gain muscle. Irishman Patrick Callahan is a big name in the protein-muscle world, but do you know who he is? Is he:
a) the owner of a company which makes protein shakes,
b) the winner of the 2024 Mister Universe bodybuilding contest, or
c) the scientist who discovered a new protein in outer space?
Georgie
Ooh, I'm going to say Patrick Callahan is the winner of the 2024 Mister Universe bodybuilding contest.
Neil
OK. We'll find out if you're right at the end. Marketing campaigns that promote sales of high-protein food are certainly working. Sales of protein products make around £7 billion globally. Here's Scott Dicker from SPINS, a market research company in Chicago, talking with BBC programme The Food Chain:
Scott Dicker
So, sometimes carbs are good; sometimes they're bad for consumers. Sometimes fat is good; sometimes it's bad for consumers. But protein seems to have this continuous health halo on it.
Georgie
Unlike carbs – that's carbohydrates – and fat, consumers don't see any downside to eating protein. Scott says protein has a health halo, a marketing term which describes perceiving a food to be healthy based on a single feature, such as being 'organic', 'gluten-free' or in this case 'high-protein', even if its overall nutritional value is poor.
Neil
Yes, food which used to be considered unhealthy is now called healthy just because a spoonful of protein powder has been added. So, could our modern obsession with protein mean that we ignore other important food groups, like fibre? NHS surgeon and blogger Dr Karan Rajan thinks so and explains why here to Ruth Alexander, on BBC World Service programme The Food Chain:
Ruth Alexander
And do you think we're paying enough attention to fibre?
Dr Karan Rajan
Historically, probably not. I think the tide is turning, and there's more people interested in fibre and optimising their fibre intake and fibermaxxing even – it's a trend on TikTok.
Ruth Alexander
What is fibermaxxing?
Dr Karan Rajan
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.
Neil
Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.
Georgie
And I'm Georgie. Neil, we're talking about protein today. What type of protein do you usually eat?
Neil
Well, I like all kinds of proteins – fish, bit of chicken – but I think I really like an egg. An egg is my favourite kind of protein.
Georgie
Ah, I was going to say that too. I'm a big fan of breakfast foods and eggs are my favourite.
Neil
Well, you can't beat a good breakfast! Of all the main food groups, such as carbohydrate, fat and fibre, it's protein that seems to be most in the news. In shops and on social media, you'll find all kinds of high-protein foods being advertised, from shakes and yoghurts to chocolate. Here's Ruth Alexander, presenter of BBC World Service programme The Food Chain:
Ruth Alexander
Cast your eye over most aisles in the supermarkets now and you'll see high protein products in abundance: pasta made with lentils and chickpeas rather than wheat flour, bread fortified with beans and pulses.
Georgie
Ruth casts her eye over the supermarket shelves. If you cast your eye over something, you take a quick look at it.
Neil
What she sees are protein products in abundance – in other words, in large quantities. Products which already contain protein, like yoghurt, are re-packaged as 'high-protein', while other items have extra protein added, often in the form of beans and pulses. Protein is big business!
Georgie
Our bodies need protein for health and to build muscle, but with all this focus on protein, are we forgetting about other important nutrients, such as fibre? That's what we'll be discussing in this programme, hearing some useful new words and phrases.
Neil
But first I have a question for you, Georgie. The popularity of protein started with bodybuilders and people working out in gyms, who ate extra protein to gain muscle. Irishman Patrick Callahan is a big name in the protein-muscle world, but do you know who he is? Is he:
a) the owner of a company which makes protein shakes,
b) the winner of the 2024 Mister Universe bodybuilding contest, or
c) the scientist who discovered a new protein in outer space?
Georgie
Ooh, I'm going to say Patrick Callahan is the winner of the 2024 Mister Universe bodybuilding contest.
Neil
OK. We'll find out if you're right at the end. Marketing campaigns that promote sales of high-protein food are certainly working. Sales of protein products make around £7 billion globally. Here's Scott Dicker from SPINS, a market research company in Chicago, talking with BBC programme The Food Chain:
Scott Dicker
So, sometimes carbs are good; sometimes they're bad for consumers. Sometimes fat is good; sometimes it's bad for consumers. But protein seems to have this continuous health halo on it.
Georgie
Unlike carbs – that's carbohydrates – and fat, consumers don't see any downside to eating protein. Scott says protein has a health halo, a marketing term which describes perceiving a food to be healthy based on a single feature, such as being 'organic', 'gluten-free' or in this case 'high-protein', even if its overall nutritional value is poor.
Neil
Yes, food which used to be considered unhealthy is now called healthy just because a spoonful of protein powder has been added. So, could our modern obsession with protein mean that we ignore other important food groups, like fibre? NHS surgeon and blogger Dr Karan Rajan thinks so and explains why here to Ruth Alexander, on BBC World Service programme The Food Chain:
Ruth Alexander
And do you think we're paying enough attention to fibre?
Dr Karan Rajan
Historically, probably not. I think the tide is turning, and there's more people interested in fibre and optimising their fibre intake and fibermaxxing even – it's a trend on TikTok.
Ruth Alexander
What is fibermaxxing?
Dr Karan Rajan
❤1
Fibermaxxing is, you know, as it suggests, similar to the protein-maxing trend, where people are trying to maximise their fibre intake with little hacks or tricks or tips they could do, whether it's, you know, adding certain seeds or nuts to snacks.
Georgie
Many people pay more attention to protein than fibre in their diet, but Dr Karan thinks the tide is turning – an idiom which means that things are changing. In part, this is thanks to a new trend from America called fibermaxxing – consuming lots of fibre by eating fibre-rich foods and supplements for their health benefits.
Neil
Dr Karan also gives some hacks – good solutions or pieces of advice – to help boost your fibre intake. For example, adding seeds and nuts to meals.
Georgie
In fact, the healthiest diet is probably a balanced diet: one containing items from all the major food groups. But I'm still intrigued by your question, Neil. Isn't it time you revealed the answer?
Neil
I asked you who the Irishman Patrick Callahan was.
Georgie
And I said he was the winner of the Mister Universe contest.
Neil
And you were correct.
Georgie
Yay!
Neil
OK. Let's recap the vocabulary we've learned in this episode. If you cast your eye over something, you have a quick look at it.
Georgie
If something is in abundance, there's a lot or more than enough of it.
Neil
A health halo refers to overestimating how healthy an item is based on a single feature, such as being low in calories, gluten-free or high in protein.
Georgie
The idiom the tide is turning means that things are changing.
Neil
The trend fibermaxxing means people intentionally consume lots of fibre by eating fibre-rich foods and supplements for their health benefits.
Georgie
And finally, a hack is a good solution or piece of advice. Once again, our six minutes are up but here's another hack for you – remember you can find worksheets, quizzes and loads more resources to improve your English over on our website, bbclearningenglish.com. See you there soon, but for now it's goodbye!
Neil
Goodbye!
Georgie
Many people pay more attention to protein than fibre in their diet, but Dr Karan thinks the tide is turning – an idiom which means that things are changing. In part, this is thanks to a new trend from America called fibermaxxing – consuming lots of fibre by eating fibre-rich foods and supplements for their health benefits.
Neil
Dr Karan also gives some hacks – good solutions or pieces of advice – to help boost your fibre intake. For example, adding seeds and nuts to meals.
Georgie
In fact, the healthiest diet is probably a balanced diet: one containing items from all the major food groups. But I'm still intrigued by your question, Neil. Isn't it time you revealed the answer?
Neil
I asked you who the Irishman Patrick Callahan was.
Georgie
And I said he was the winner of the Mister Universe contest.
Neil
And you were correct.
Georgie
Yay!
Neil
OK. Let's recap the vocabulary we've learned in this episode. If you cast your eye over something, you have a quick look at it.
Georgie
If something is in abundance, there's a lot or more than enough of it.
Neil
A health halo refers to overestimating how healthy an item is based on a single feature, such as being low in calories, gluten-free or high in protein.
Georgie
The idiom the tide is turning means that things are changing.
Neil
The trend fibermaxxing means people intentionally consume lots of fibre by eating fibre-rich foods and supplements for their health benefits.
Georgie
And finally, a hack is a good solution or piece of advice. Once again, our six minutes are up but here's another hack for you – remember you can find worksheets, quizzes and loads more resources to improve your English over on our website, bbclearningenglish.com. See you there soon, but for now it's goodbye!
Neil
Goodbye!
❤4
Introduction
Do you ever feel disconnected from politics and politicians? Many of us want to improve our communities but it's not always easy to find the right ways of helping. Perhaps the answer is to reconnect with what it means to be a citizen. Neil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.
This week's question
What is the meaning of the Ancient Greek word 'polis'?
a) vote
b) people
c) city
Listen to the programme to hear the answer.
Do you ever feel disconnected from politics and politicians? Many of us want to improve our communities but it's not always easy to find the right ways of helping. Perhaps the answer is to reconnect with what it means to be a citizen. Neil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.
This week's question
What is the meaning of the Ancient Greek word 'polis'?
a) vote
b) people
c) city
Listen to the programme to hear the answer.
❤1
Vocabulary
the law of the land
the set of rules and laws that exists in a certain place
erosion of trust
gradual weakening of people's confidence in political and economic institutions and systems
in office
in power at the present time
add-on
extra part that is added later, rather than being planned in from the start
take someone/something seriously
think that someone or something is important and deserves attention
pin down
force someone to be specific about their plans and intentions
the law of the land
the set of rules and laws that exists in a certain place
erosion of trust
gradual weakening of people's confidence in political and economic institutions and systems
in office
in power at the present time
add-on
extra part that is added later, rather than being planned in from the start
take someone/something seriously
think that someone or something is important and deserves attention
pin down
force someone to be specific about their plans and intentions
❤1
TRANSCRIPT
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.
Neil
Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.
Georgie
And I'm Georgie.
Neil
Georgie, what do you think makes a good citizen?
Georgie
Ooh, interesting question. I think a good citizen is someone who doesn't break the law and is generally kind to other people. What about you? Any ideas?
Neil
Yeah, I agree. But also maybe people who volunteer – so, people who run clubs for children and that kind of thing. I think they're good citizens. Now, being a citizen, a member of society who enjoys certain rights in return for having certain responsibilities, is an old idea that's been in the news a lot recently. It's something that interests Myra Anubi, presenter of BBC World Service programme People Fixing the World.
Myra Anubi
What do you think makes a good citizen? Is it someone who follows the laws of the land and pays their taxes? Well, some people might say it should go beyond that, and a good citizen is one who tries to improve the place where they live.
Georgie
A good citizen obeys the law of the land – a term for the set of rules and laws that exists in a country. But should there be more to it than that?
Neil
Around the world, young people today are less likely to vote, and many people aged 18 to 30 say they feel ignored by politicians. So, in this programme, we'll be hearing about MyPolis, an exciting project helping young people in Portugal re-engage with their citizenship. And, as usual, we'll be learning some useful new words and phrases, all of which you'll find on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.
Georgie
But before that, I have a question for you, Neil. The project's name, MyPolis, comes from the ancient Greek states, such as Athens and Sparta, where the idea of citizenship was born. So, what is the meaning of the Ancient Greek word 'polis'? Is it:
a) vote,
b) people, or
c) city?
Neil
Hmm, that's a good question. I'm going to guess b) people.
Georgie
OK. Well, I'll reveal the correct answer later in the programme. MyPolis runs council assemblies where children can propose improvements to their local school community – anything from fixing broken water fountains to changing the curriculum. Local politicians also attend, listening to the children's ideas and responding by giving their support or explaining why not.
Neil
The project was started by founder Bernardo Goncalves when he was in his 20s, because he was disappointed by interactions between political parties and young people. Here's Bernardo telling more to BBC World Service programme People Fixing the World:
Bernardo Goncalves
We have seen a quick erosion in the trust of the population in the democratic institutions, such as the National Parliament, such as the government in office. We need to find new ways to connect children and young citizens to democratic institutions, otherwise the gap will get bigger and bigger. This is very dangerous for democracy.
Georgie
Bernardo thinks Portugal has seen an erosion of trust – a term for the gradual weakening of people's confidence in political and economic institutions, and the government in office. A government in office means the government in power at the present time.
Neil
MyPolis mirrors the political activities that children will need as adult citizens – things like voting and holding politicians accountable. Reporter Alison Roberts visited schools around the Portuguese capital Lisbon and was impressed by what she saw, as she explains here to Myra Anubi, presenter of BBC World Service's People Fixing the World:
Alison Roberts
Another benefit is MyPolis has designed the programme so it can be included as part of the national curriculum, rather than as an add-on.
Myra Anubi
Mmm. Well, it's good to know that this is happening in other places, but the thing that also really strikes me here is that politicians are actually listening to these kids and taking them seriously, giving them answers, because politicians, as we know, can be hard to pin down.
Georgie
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.
Neil
Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.
Georgie
And I'm Georgie.
Neil
Georgie, what do you think makes a good citizen?
Georgie
Ooh, interesting question. I think a good citizen is someone who doesn't break the law and is generally kind to other people. What about you? Any ideas?
Neil
Yeah, I agree. But also maybe people who volunteer – so, people who run clubs for children and that kind of thing. I think they're good citizens. Now, being a citizen, a member of society who enjoys certain rights in return for having certain responsibilities, is an old idea that's been in the news a lot recently. It's something that interests Myra Anubi, presenter of BBC World Service programme People Fixing the World.
Myra Anubi
What do you think makes a good citizen? Is it someone who follows the laws of the land and pays their taxes? Well, some people might say it should go beyond that, and a good citizen is one who tries to improve the place where they live.
Georgie
A good citizen obeys the law of the land – a term for the set of rules and laws that exists in a country. But should there be more to it than that?
Neil
Around the world, young people today are less likely to vote, and many people aged 18 to 30 say they feel ignored by politicians. So, in this programme, we'll be hearing about MyPolis, an exciting project helping young people in Portugal re-engage with their citizenship. And, as usual, we'll be learning some useful new words and phrases, all of which you'll find on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.
Georgie
But before that, I have a question for you, Neil. The project's name, MyPolis, comes from the ancient Greek states, such as Athens and Sparta, where the idea of citizenship was born. So, what is the meaning of the Ancient Greek word 'polis'? Is it:
a) vote,
b) people, or
c) city?
Neil
Hmm, that's a good question. I'm going to guess b) people.
Georgie
OK. Well, I'll reveal the correct answer later in the programme. MyPolis runs council assemblies where children can propose improvements to their local school community – anything from fixing broken water fountains to changing the curriculum. Local politicians also attend, listening to the children's ideas and responding by giving their support or explaining why not.
Neil
The project was started by founder Bernardo Goncalves when he was in his 20s, because he was disappointed by interactions between political parties and young people. Here's Bernardo telling more to BBC World Service programme People Fixing the World:
Bernardo Goncalves
We have seen a quick erosion in the trust of the population in the democratic institutions, such as the National Parliament, such as the government in office. We need to find new ways to connect children and young citizens to democratic institutions, otherwise the gap will get bigger and bigger. This is very dangerous for democracy.
Georgie
Bernardo thinks Portugal has seen an erosion of trust – a term for the gradual weakening of people's confidence in political and economic institutions, and the government in office. A government in office means the government in power at the present time.
Neil
MyPolis mirrors the political activities that children will need as adult citizens – things like voting and holding politicians accountable. Reporter Alison Roberts visited schools around the Portuguese capital Lisbon and was impressed by what she saw, as she explains here to Myra Anubi, presenter of BBC World Service's People Fixing the World:
Alison Roberts
Another benefit is MyPolis has designed the programme so it can be included as part of the national curriculum, rather than as an add-on.
Myra Anubi
Mmm. Well, it's good to know that this is happening in other places, but the thing that also really strikes me here is that politicians are actually listening to these kids and taking them seriously, giving them answers, because politicians, as we know, can be hard to pin down.
Georgie
❤2
The MyPolis programme is designed as part of the whole school curriculum and not just an add-on, meaning something extra that is added later, instead of being planned in from the start.
Neil
Myra was impressed that local politicians take the school children seriously. If you take someone or something seriously, youthink it's important and deserves attention. And that's good because, as everyone knows, politicians can be hard to pin down. To pin someone down means to force them to explain their plans and intentions in detail.
Georgie
It sounds like the programme is really developing active citizens of the future in Portugal. In fact, it's been so successful that similar programmes have been started in Italy, Hungary and Mozambique. OK. Neil, I think I should reveal the answer to my question. I asked you, "What is the meaning of the Ancient Greek word 'polis'?" And you said, "People," which was the wrong answer, I'm afraid. The right answer was c) city.
Neil
Argh, no! Right, it's time to recap the vocabulary we've learned, starting with the law of the land – a term for the set of rules and laws that exists in a country.
Georgie
An erosion of trust happens when people gradually lose confidence in political and economic institutions.
Neil
If a government is in office, it means they are currently in power.
Georgie
An add-on is an extra part that is added to something later, rather than being built in from the start.
Neil
If you take someone seriously, you consider them important and worthy of your attention.
Georgie
And finally, if you find it hard to pin someone down, it's difficult to find out their specific plans and intentions. Once again, our six minutes are up but remember you'll find a quiz and worksheet for this episode over on our website, bbclearningenglish.com. See you there soon. Bye!
Neil
Goodbye!
Neil
Myra was impressed that local politicians take the school children seriously. If you take someone or something seriously, youthink it's important and deserves attention. And that's good because, as everyone knows, politicians can be hard to pin down. To pin someone down means to force them to explain their plans and intentions in detail.
Georgie
It sounds like the programme is really developing active citizens of the future in Portugal. In fact, it's been so successful that similar programmes have been started in Italy, Hungary and Mozambique. OK. Neil, I think I should reveal the answer to my question. I asked you, "What is the meaning of the Ancient Greek word 'polis'?" And you said, "People," which was the wrong answer, I'm afraid. The right answer was c) city.
Neil
Argh, no! Right, it's time to recap the vocabulary we've learned, starting with the law of the land – a term for the set of rules and laws that exists in a country.
Georgie
An erosion of trust happens when people gradually lose confidence in political and economic institutions.
Neil
If a government is in office, it means they are currently in power.
Georgie
An add-on is an extra part that is added to something later, rather than being built in from the start.
Neil
If you take someone seriously, you consider them important and worthy of your attention.
Georgie
And finally, if you find it hard to pin someone down, it's difficult to find out their specific plans and intentions. Once again, our six minutes are up but remember you'll find a quiz and worksheet for this episode over on our website, bbclearningenglish.com. See you there soon. Bye!
Neil
Goodbye!
❤2
Introduction
Do you believe that life exists on other planets? Well, here's an even more mysterious idea: Have you ever considered that there might have been another civilisation with advanced technology on planet Earth... before humans? Beth and Phil discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.
This week's question
According to scientists, how old is the Earth?
a) 3.5 billion years
b) 4.5 billion years
c) 5.5 billion years
Listen to the programme to hear the answer.
Do you believe that life exists on other planets? Well, here's an even more mysterious idea: Have you ever considered that there might have been another civilisation with advanced technology on planet Earth... before humans? Beth and Phil discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.
This week's question
According to scientists, how old is the Earth?
a) 3.5 billion years
b) 4.5 billion years
c) 5.5 billion years
Listen to the programme to hear the answer.
❤2
Vocabulary
(someone's) jaw dropped
(idiom) used to say someone looks very shocked and surprised
hypothesis
idea that is suggested to explain something and which can then be tested to find out if it's correct
fossil
remains of a prehistoric plant or animal that have been preserved in rock for a very long time
tiny fraction
very small amount
the blink of an eye
(idiom) a very short period of time
consensus
general agreement
(someone's) jaw dropped
(idiom) used to say someone looks very shocked and surprised
hypothesis
idea that is suggested to explain something and which can then be tested to find out if it's correct
fossil
remains of a prehistoric plant or animal that have been preserved in rock for a very long time
tiny fraction
very small amount
the blink of an eye
(idiom) a very short period of time
consensus
general agreement
❤2👍1