The health benefits of apples ⏲️ 6 Minute English

Hello. This is a 6

minute

English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil. And I'm Sam. English has many proverbs: short, familiar phrases that give useful advice or common sense. For example, the proverb “Actions speak louder than words” means that what people do is more important than what they say. And the proverb “Don't judge a book by its cover” advises people not to form opinions about people based on their appearance. Proverbs are found in many cultures and languages ​​and are often passed down from generation to generation to teach children life lessons. A famous English proverb says: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” In other words, eating fresh fruit is good for you.

But is it really true? Can eating an apple a day have important

health

benefits

? That is the question we will discuss in this program and, as usual, we will also learn new vocabulary. But before that I have a question for you, Sam. Most proverbs come from the history of a place and England has a long history of apple growing. Over the centuries, hundreds of different varieties of

apples

have been grown in orchards across the country, some with quite unusual names. So which of the following is the name of an actual type of English apple? Is it: a) Taylor's gold? b) a golden pippin? or c) a black Worcester?

I don't know, but I think it's b) a golden pippin. Well, Sam. I will reveal the answer later in the show. But whatever the apple is called, new scientific research is showing that eating

apples

actually has

health

benefits

, especially with the skin. Apple skins are full of good things: fiber, vitamins, and especially flavonoids, a chemical compound known to lower blood pressure and improve brain and heart health. No wonder, then, that when Dr Michael Mosley, presenter of BBC Radio 4's Just One Thing, wanted to eat something, he reached for an apple. It's early afternoon and I'm a little hungry, so I'm about to have a delicious snack that could improve my blood flow, stimulate my brain, and trim my waist.

This is not an exotic superfood. In fact, it is an apple. Dr. Mosley wanted to eat something because he was hungry, a little hungry. He wanted something healthy, but he chose an apple instead of exotic superfoods like blueberries or a banana smoothie. If you call something exotic, you mean that it is unusual and exciting, often because it comes from an unknown place. Instead, he ate the least exotic fruit I can imagine: the humble apple. But Dr. Mosely believes apples have health benefits, and he lists them: Apples improve blood flow, stimulate the brain, and trim the waist, a phrase that means maintaining a healthy body weight without extra fat.

Yes, one of the reasons apples are so good for us is that the skin is packed with flavonoids that help people lose weight and have even been linked to a longer life. But that is not all. It's the fact that there are so many different ways to cook and eat apples that makes them one of the country's favorite foods. Here's Dr Mosley again explaining how he likes to eat apples in Just One Thing on BBC Sounds. What I love about apples is that they are very versatile. I've been eating them as a snack, grating them into my porridge, and slicing them with full-fat yogurt for dessert.

But baked apples are one of my favorite ways to consume them. It seems that an apple a day really keeps the doctor away and also keeps your heart, gut and even your waist in good shape. Dr. Mosley eats apples in porridge, sliced ​​with yogurt, and even baked in the oven. He describes them as versatile: things that can be used for many different purposes or in many different ways. What's more, cooking or baking apples doesn't harm those healthy flavonoids, so even the occasional apple crumble with custard can be good for you. Apple and custard crumble! I'm not so sure that's a way to get in good shape (a phrase that means "healthy" or "in good condition").

But, Neil, it seems the old proverb is true: according to science, an apple a day really does keep the doctor away! Well, it's time to reveal the answer to your question. Yes, I asked you about the strange names given to some English apple varieties. And I said that “Golden Pippin” was the name of a real apple. So was he right? Yes you went! Golden pippin apples were first grown in Arundel, near the south coast of England, while the other two, Black Worcester and Taylor's Gold, are actually types of English pears. Well, let's recap the vocabulary we've learned in this program, starting with the proverb: a short phrase or expression that gives some traditional and well-known advice.

If you're hungry, you're a little hungry. The adjective exotic describes something that is unusual and exciting, often because it comes from a faraway place. The phrase trim your waist means maintaining a healthy body weight without extra fat around the waist, the area of ​​the body above the hips. Something that is versatile can be used for many purposes or in many different ways. And lastly, if someone is in good shape, he is in good health. Once again, we were out of six

minute

s. Goodbye for now! Bye bye!