#The criminal trade in ancient objects How are criminals making money from stolen artefacts?
Introduction
Many of us like to visit museums to see ancient artefacts in person – it's an exciting way to learn about the history and culture of different civilisations. But did you know that there are criminal networks which steal and trade these ancient objects? Neil and Beth discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.
This week's question
Which famous ancient artefact was discovered in the Valley of the Kings by Egyptologist Howard Carter in 1922?
a) the Rosetta Stone
b) the Mask of Tutankhamun
c) the Ark of the Covenant
Listen to the programme to hear the answer.
Many of us like to visit museums to see ancient artefacts in person – it's an exciting way to learn about the history and culture of different civilisations. But did you know that there are criminal networks which steal and trade these ancient objects? Neil and Beth discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.
This week's question
Which famous ancient artefact was discovered in the Valley of the Kings by Egyptologist Howard Carter in 1922?
a) the Rosetta Stone
b) the Mask of Tutankhamun
c) the Ark of the Covenant
Listen to the programme to hear the answer.
❤3
Vocabulary
artefact
object made by humans, such as a tool or decoration, which is of historical interest
looted
forcefully stolen
game changer
new element that is introduced into a situation and completely changes how it operates
bottleneck
problem that delays a process or stops it from progressing
repatriate
return something or someone to the country they originally came from
middle-of-the-road
not extreme; acceptable to most people
artefact
object made by humans, such as a tool or decoration, which is of historical interest
looted
forcefully stolen
game changer
new element that is introduced into a situation and completely changes how it operates
bottleneck
problem that delays a process or stops it from progressing
repatriate
return something or someone to the country they originally came from
middle-of-the-road
not extreme; acceptable to most people
TRANSCRIPT
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.
Neil
Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.
Beth
And I'm Beth. Neil, what is the oldest thing you have at home?
Neil
Ooh… well, I do have some books from when I was a child.
Beth
I have a rocking horse that was my dad's, so that is quite old. But neither of these are anywhere near as old as the 1,800-year-old Roman coin which BBC reporter Ryan Keane recently bought in London. But soon afterwards, Ryan discovered there was more to the story, as he explains here on BBC World Service programme Business Daily:
Ryan Keane
But as I researched into other kinds of ancient artefacts I could acquire, I came across reports of expansive criminal networks related to antiquities. Some ancient artefacts being sold online and in stores have been looted and trafficked.
Neil
Ryan got interested in artefacts from Egypt, Greece and Rome. An artefact is any object made by humans, usually very old, which is historically interesting – for example, a coin or statue.
Beth
In the past, many artefacts have been looted – or stolen by force. Movies like Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider have made the subject popular, but the theft of ancient objects is a serious problem in some parts of the world. So, what can be done about it? That's what we'll be discussing in this episode, using some useful new words and phrases.
Neil
And remember – you'll find all the vocabulary from this episode on our website, bbclearningenglish.com. Now, I have a question for you, Beth. One of the most famous ancient artefacts was discovered by Egyptologist Howard Carter in the Valley of the Kings in 1922, but what was it? Was it:
a) the Rosetta Stone,
b) the Mask of Tutankhamun, or
c) the Ark of the Covenant?
Beth
Oh, I think it's b) the Mask of Tutankhamun.
Neil
OK. Let's find out later in the programme. Stealing ancient objects is nothing new. During colonial times, it was common for artefacts to be taken from their original home and moved to museums and private collections abroad. In the modern era, technology, especially social media, has increased the problem. Here's, Amr Al-Azm, a researcher from Shawnee State University in the US, explaining more to BBC's Business Daily:
Amr Al-Azm
Social media is the game changer here. The bottleneck, if you will, was how does someone who has an item then communicate with someone on the demand side? It used to slow the process – you had to go through intermediaries. Social media changes all that because it just opens it up.
Beth
Amr calls social media a game changer – something new that is introduced into a situation and completely changes how it works. For example, the internet has been a game changer in how we communicate.
Neil
The reason is simple. For someone with illegally stolen artefacts to sell, finding a buyer used to be difficult. Amr thinks that now, because of social media, this problem, or bottleneck, is gone. A bottleneck is a problem that delays a process or stops it from progressing.
Beth
So, what can be done to stop the illegal buying and selling of ancient artefacts? Well, as the final destination for much looted treasure, museums have an important role to play. Accusations of knowingly or unknowingly buying stolen objects have been made against several museums, including the Louvre in Paris.
Neil
Victoria Reed is senior curator at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. In 2024, she helped her museum return an ancient necklace which had been taken illegally from Turkey in the 1970s. But the idea of returning artefacts to their country of origin, something known as repatriation, is controversial, as Victora told BBC programme Business Daily:
Victoria Reed
Outside of the museum world, of course, there are many opinions, and I personally try to maintain a relatively middle-of-the-road approach. I believe in museums, I believe in responsible collecting and I believe in judicious repatriation decisions.
Beth
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.
Neil
Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.
Beth
And I'm Beth. Neil, what is the oldest thing you have at home?
Neil
Ooh… well, I do have some books from when I was a child.
Beth
I have a rocking horse that was my dad's, so that is quite old. But neither of these are anywhere near as old as the 1,800-year-old Roman coin which BBC reporter Ryan Keane recently bought in London. But soon afterwards, Ryan discovered there was more to the story, as he explains here on BBC World Service programme Business Daily:
Ryan Keane
But as I researched into other kinds of ancient artefacts I could acquire, I came across reports of expansive criminal networks related to antiquities. Some ancient artefacts being sold online and in stores have been looted and trafficked.
Neil
Ryan got interested in artefacts from Egypt, Greece and Rome. An artefact is any object made by humans, usually very old, which is historically interesting – for example, a coin or statue.
Beth
In the past, many artefacts have been looted – or stolen by force. Movies like Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider have made the subject popular, but the theft of ancient objects is a serious problem in some parts of the world. So, what can be done about it? That's what we'll be discussing in this episode, using some useful new words and phrases.
Neil
And remember – you'll find all the vocabulary from this episode on our website, bbclearningenglish.com. Now, I have a question for you, Beth. One of the most famous ancient artefacts was discovered by Egyptologist Howard Carter in the Valley of the Kings in 1922, but what was it? Was it:
a) the Rosetta Stone,
b) the Mask of Tutankhamun, or
c) the Ark of the Covenant?
Beth
Oh, I think it's b) the Mask of Tutankhamun.
Neil
OK. Let's find out later in the programme. Stealing ancient objects is nothing new. During colonial times, it was common for artefacts to be taken from their original home and moved to museums and private collections abroad. In the modern era, technology, especially social media, has increased the problem. Here's, Amr Al-Azm, a researcher from Shawnee State University in the US, explaining more to BBC's Business Daily:
Amr Al-Azm
Social media is the game changer here. The bottleneck, if you will, was how does someone who has an item then communicate with someone on the demand side? It used to slow the process – you had to go through intermediaries. Social media changes all that because it just opens it up.
Beth
Amr calls social media a game changer – something new that is introduced into a situation and completely changes how it works. For example, the internet has been a game changer in how we communicate.
Neil
The reason is simple. For someone with illegally stolen artefacts to sell, finding a buyer used to be difficult. Amr thinks that now, because of social media, this problem, or bottleneck, is gone. A bottleneck is a problem that delays a process or stops it from progressing.
Beth
So, what can be done to stop the illegal buying and selling of ancient artefacts? Well, as the final destination for much looted treasure, museums have an important role to play. Accusations of knowingly or unknowingly buying stolen objects have been made against several museums, including the Louvre in Paris.
Neil
Victoria Reed is senior curator at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. In 2024, she helped her museum return an ancient necklace which had been taken illegally from Turkey in the 1970s. But the idea of returning artefacts to their country of origin, something known as repatriation, is controversial, as Victora told BBC programme Business Daily:
Victoria Reed
Outside of the museum world, of course, there are many opinions, and I personally try to maintain a relatively middle-of-the-road approach. I believe in museums, I believe in responsible collecting and I believe in judicious repatriation decisions.
Beth
❤2
There are arguments both for and against repatriating artefacts, and Victoria takes a middle-of-the-road approach. If you describe something as middle-of-the-road, you mean it's not extreme and is acceptable to most people.
Neil
Whether ancient artefacts find their way back to their original homes or are displayed in museums remains an ongoing debate, but either way it's good to know that objects of culture and beauty are being preserved for future generations. OK. I think it's time to reveal the answer to my question. I asked what the Egyptologist Howard Carter discovered in the Valley of the Kings in 1922. Was it: a) the Rosetta Stone, b) the Mask of Tutankhamun, or c) the Ark of the Covenant?
Beth
And I said, "The Mask of Tutankhamun."
Neil
And you, Beth… were right.
Beth
Yes!
Neil
OK. Let's recap the vocabulary we've learned, starting with artefact – any object made by humans which is of historical interest.
Beth
If something is looted, it's stolen by force.
Neil
A game changer is a new element which, when introduced into a situation, completely changes it.
Beth
A bottleneck is a problem that delays a process or stops it from progressing.
Neil
To repatriate something means to return it to the country it came from.
Beth
And finally, the adjective middle-of-the-road describes things which are not extreme and are acceptable to most people. Once again, our six minutes are up. If you enjoyed this programme, why not check out the accompanying worksheet and quiz? They're both available now at bbclearningenglish.com. See you there soon and goodbye.
Neil
Goodbye!
Neil
Whether ancient artefacts find their way back to their original homes or are displayed in museums remains an ongoing debate, but either way it's good to know that objects of culture and beauty are being preserved for future generations. OK. I think it's time to reveal the answer to my question. I asked what the Egyptologist Howard Carter discovered in the Valley of the Kings in 1922. Was it: a) the Rosetta Stone, b) the Mask of Tutankhamun, or c) the Ark of the Covenant?
Beth
And I said, "The Mask of Tutankhamun."
Neil
And you, Beth… were right.
Beth
Yes!
Neil
OK. Let's recap the vocabulary we've learned, starting with artefact – any object made by humans which is of historical interest.
Beth
If something is looted, it's stolen by force.
Neil
A game changer is a new element which, when introduced into a situation, completely changes it.
Beth
A bottleneck is a problem that delays a process or stops it from progressing.
Neil
To repatriate something means to return it to the country it came from.
Beth
And finally, the adjective middle-of-the-road describes things which are not extreme and are acceptable to most people. Once again, our six minutes are up. If you enjoyed this programme, why not check out the accompanying worksheet and quiz? They're both available now at bbclearningenglish.com. See you there soon and goodbye.
Neil
Goodbye!
❤2
Introduction
Many of us could use extra help around the house – but what if that help came from a robot? Would you treat the robot as a lifeless machine, or do you think you might start thinking of it as a friend? In fact, many companies are trying to create robots that help people to feel less lonely. Neil and Beth discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.
This week's question
What is the name of Pixar's friendly robot who picks up garbage on an uninhabited planet Earth in the year 2805?
a) Roz
b) Wall-E
c) R2D2
Listen to the programme to hear the answer.
Many of us could use extra help around the house – but what if that help came from a robot? Would you treat the robot as a lifeless machine, or do you think you might start thinking of it as a friend? In fact, many companies are trying to create robots that help people to feel less lonely. Neil and Beth discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.
This week's question
What is the name of Pixar's friendly robot who picks up garbage on an uninhabited planet Earth in the year 2805?
a) Roz
b) Wall-E
c) R2D2
Listen to the programme to hear the answer.
Vocabulary
humanoid
having the appearance and behaviour of a human
sassy
bold, confident and cheeky
be taken aback
be surprised or shocked by something
has a mind of its own
seems to be controlling the way it behaves or moves independently, without human control
a splash of colour
a bit of colour added to brighten up something which is dull or unexciting
expressive
showing what someone thinks or feels
humanoid
having the appearance and behaviour of a human
sassy
bold, confident and cheeky
be taken aback
be surprised or shocked by something
has a mind of its own
seems to be controlling the way it behaves or moves independently, without human control
a splash of colour
a bit of colour added to brighten up something which is dull or unexciting
expressive
showing what someone thinks or feels
TRANSCRIPT
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.
Neil
Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.
Beth
And I'm Beth.
Neil
One area of technology which has been in the news a lot recently is robotics – the design and building of robots. Humanoid robots, meaning robots which appear and behave like humans, are being built to help us do everything from washing the dishes to babysitting the kids.
Beth
But not everyone feels comfortable with the idea of inviting a human-like robot into their home. Neil, how would you feel about living with a robot?
Neil
I really don't want to live with a robot. I have enough people in my house.
Beth
With advances in AI, robots are becoming smart enough to develop meaningful relationships with humans. There are reports of people telling their secrets to robot therapists and even falling in love with their robot friend! In this episode, we'll meet a home companion robot called Abi, who's making friends with the elderly residents of Melbourne in Australia. And as usual, we'll learn some useful new vocabulary, all of which you'll find over on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.
Neil
First, I have a question for you, Beth. Because it's important people feel safe around robots, engineers design them to look like the friendly characters seen in animated movies by studios like Pixar and DreamWorks. So, what is the name of Pixar's friendly robot who picks up garbage on an uninhabited planet Earth in the year 2805? Is it:
a) Roz,
b) Wall-E, or
c) R2D2?
Beth
I am pretty certain that the answer is b) Wall-E.
Neil
Well, we'll find out the answer later in the programme. For five months during the Covid pandemic, Australian engineer Grace Brown had no human contact. She used this time to build a home companion robot, Abi, with the idea it would provide companionship to other people suffering loneliness. Now, Grace runs her own company, Andromeda, building robots specially designed as company for elderly residents in care homes who don't get many visitors. Here, she explains more about Abi to BBC World Service programme The Conversation:
Grace Brown
Abi, who's the humanoid robot that we build at Andromeda – people don't expect humanoid robots to have, like, so much personality. She's very, very sassy. She's very inquisitive and curious. And I think when people meet her, they're always, kind of, taken aback by… "Oh, she's, like, got a mind of her own."
Beth
When people meet Abi, they are surprised by her sassy personality. The adjective sassy means bold, confident and cheeky.
Neil
Some people are taken aback – meaning they are shocked or surprised by the things Abi says. She really seems to be interested and to take care of the people she meets. Abi can also express opinions, and Grace says she has a mind of her own – a phrase used when a non-living object, like a robot, seems to be behaving or acting independently of human control.
Beth
Unlike the unpredictable and violent robots which are sometimes portrayed in sci-fi movies, Abi is much more approachable and friendly, even funny – she can blow bubbles from her hand! Her softer design was a conscious decision by Grace, who wanted children and elderly people to interact with Abi naturally and without fear, as she explained to BBC World Service's, The Conversation.
Grace Brown
I originally modelled her off the size of, like, a young child – so, like a six, seven-year-old child – so she's about 110cm tall. She's got a whole splash of different colours. She's got, you know, large, expressive eyes. So, that was – I was very much trying to replicate the kind of approachableness and the endearingness of, like, these different, like, Pixar characters that you'd watch in all of these films.
Neil
Abi looks like a friendly character from a Pixar film. She's the size of a six or seven-year-old child and decorated with a splash of colour – a phrase used when a bit of colour is added to brighten up something which is dull or unexciting.
Beth
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.
Neil
Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.
Beth
And I'm Beth.
Neil
One area of technology which has been in the news a lot recently is robotics – the design and building of robots. Humanoid robots, meaning robots which appear and behave like humans, are being built to help us do everything from washing the dishes to babysitting the kids.
Beth
But not everyone feels comfortable with the idea of inviting a human-like robot into their home. Neil, how would you feel about living with a robot?
Neil
I really don't want to live with a robot. I have enough people in my house.
Beth
With advances in AI, robots are becoming smart enough to develop meaningful relationships with humans. There are reports of people telling their secrets to robot therapists and even falling in love with their robot friend! In this episode, we'll meet a home companion robot called Abi, who's making friends with the elderly residents of Melbourne in Australia. And as usual, we'll learn some useful new vocabulary, all of which you'll find over on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.
Neil
First, I have a question for you, Beth. Because it's important people feel safe around robots, engineers design them to look like the friendly characters seen in animated movies by studios like Pixar and DreamWorks. So, what is the name of Pixar's friendly robot who picks up garbage on an uninhabited planet Earth in the year 2805? Is it:
a) Roz,
b) Wall-E, or
c) R2D2?
Beth
I am pretty certain that the answer is b) Wall-E.
Neil
Well, we'll find out the answer later in the programme. For five months during the Covid pandemic, Australian engineer Grace Brown had no human contact. She used this time to build a home companion robot, Abi, with the idea it would provide companionship to other people suffering loneliness. Now, Grace runs her own company, Andromeda, building robots specially designed as company for elderly residents in care homes who don't get many visitors. Here, she explains more about Abi to BBC World Service programme The Conversation:
Grace Brown
Abi, who's the humanoid robot that we build at Andromeda – people don't expect humanoid robots to have, like, so much personality. She's very, very sassy. She's very inquisitive and curious. And I think when people meet her, they're always, kind of, taken aback by… "Oh, she's, like, got a mind of her own."
Beth
When people meet Abi, they are surprised by her sassy personality. The adjective sassy means bold, confident and cheeky.
Neil
Some people are taken aback – meaning they are shocked or surprised by the things Abi says. She really seems to be interested and to take care of the people she meets. Abi can also express opinions, and Grace says she has a mind of her own – a phrase used when a non-living object, like a robot, seems to be behaving or acting independently of human control.
Beth
Unlike the unpredictable and violent robots which are sometimes portrayed in sci-fi movies, Abi is much more approachable and friendly, even funny – she can blow bubbles from her hand! Her softer design was a conscious decision by Grace, who wanted children and elderly people to interact with Abi naturally and without fear, as she explained to BBC World Service's, The Conversation.
Grace Brown
I originally modelled her off the size of, like, a young child – so, like a six, seven-year-old child – so she's about 110cm tall. She's got a whole splash of different colours. She's got, you know, large, expressive eyes. So, that was – I was very much trying to replicate the kind of approachableness and the endearingness of, like, these different, like, Pixar characters that you'd watch in all of these films.
Neil
Abi looks like a friendly character from a Pixar film. She's the size of a six or seven-year-old child and decorated with a splash of colour – a phrase used when a bit of colour is added to brighten up something which is dull or unexciting.
Beth
❤3
Abi also has large, expressive eyes. If you describe something as expressive, you mean it shows what someone thinks or feels.
Neil
Elderly residents who regularly chat with Abi say the robot companion brings them joy and a sense of community.
Beth
Ah, well, it's good to hear the positive side of a technology which can still seem a bit strange or frightening. And I would like to see Abi blowing bubbles from her hand! Now, isn't it time you revealed the answer to your question, Neil?
Neil
I asked you for the name of Pixar's friendly robot, who picks up garbage on an uninhabited planet Earth in the year 2805.
Beth
And I said it was Wall-E.
Neil
And you were… correct.
Beth
Yes!
Neil
That is the right answer. OK. Let's recap the vocabulary we've learned, starting with humanoid – an adjective meaning to have the appearance and behaviour of a human.
Beth
Someone who is sassy is bold, confident and cheeky.
Neil
If you are taken aback by something, you are shocked or surprised by it.
Beth
If you say an object has a mind of its own, you mean that it seems to be acting independently, without human control.
Neil
The phrase a splash of colour is used when a bit of colour is added to brighten something which is dull or unexciting.
Beth
And finally, the adjective expressive means showing what someone thinks or feels. Once again, our six minutes are up. If you've enjoyed this episode then head over to our website, bbclearningenglish.com, where you'll find a quiz and worksheet to practise the vocabulary you've learnt. See you again soon. But, for now, it's goodbye.
Neil
Goodbye!
Neil
Elderly residents who regularly chat with Abi say the robot companion brings them joy and a sense of community.
Beth
Ah, well, it's good to hear the positive side of a technology which can still seem a bit strange or frightening. And I would like to see Abi blowing bubbles from her hand! Now, isn't it time you revealed the answer to your question, Neil?
Neil
I asked you for the name of Pixar's friendly robot, who picks up garbage on an uninhabited planet Earth in the year 2805.
Beth
And I said it was Wall-E.
Neil
And you were… correct.
Beth
Yes!
Neil
That is the right answer. OK. Let's recap the vocabulary we've learned, starting with humanoid – an adjective meaning to have the appearance and behaviour of a human.
Beth
Someone who is sassy is bold, confident and cheeky.
Neil
If you are taken aback by something, you are shocked or surprised by it.
Beth
If you say an object has a mind of its own, you mean that it seems to be acting independently, without human control.
Neil
The phrase a splash of colour is used when a bit of colour is added to brighten something which is dull or unexciting.
Beth
And finally, the adjective expressive means showing what someone thinks or feels. Once again, our six minutes are up. If you've enjoyed this episode then head over to our website, bbclearningenglish.com, where you'll find a quiz and worksheet to practise the vocabulary you've learnt. See you again soon. But, for now, it's goodbye.
Neil
Goodbye!
❤5
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
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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!
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