Neil
Hello This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English I’m Neil
Sam
And I’m Sam
Neil
In this programme, we’ll be looking at an unusual food called microalgae and
asking whether eating algae might be better for our health and the health of the
planet And of course, we’ll be looking at some of the related vocabulary along
the way
Sam
Yuck! I’m not sure about eating algae, Neil! I mean, what’s the strangest thing
?you’ve ever eaten
Neil
Well, I once tried fried stick insect in Thailand… and I’ve had ants, as well, that
were from Colombia
Sam
Ah, OK, yeah – both fairly strange for us here in the UK But what about pond
?scum, Neil
Neil
Pond scum? Pond scum is the slang name for microalgae - green plant
organisms, such as spirulina, which grow in water-like ponds and look a bit slimy
or scummy before being dried Here, we’re talking about edible algae, meaning
it’s OK to eat
Sam
More than OK, in fact – these types of food algae are actually good for your
body! Microalgae like spirulina and chlorella are packed full of proteins, vitamins
and antioxidants Because they are so healthy, they’re having a moment right
now, meaning they are becoming more well-known and popular
Neil
Yes, microalgae is trending just now and for good reasons, which we’ll find out
about later But first, let me ask you our quiz question What do the following
?three things have in common: oceans, snow and my garden patio. Is it…
a) They are all good places to relax
b) They are all very cold
c) They are all places where microalgae grow
Sam
Well, I know that oceans and snow are made up of water… but your garden
?patio? Did your barbeque get rained off again, Neil
Neil
No, not quite, Sam! Well, hopefully you’ll know by the end of the programme
Now, I mentioned before that microalgae is sometimes called a superfood - a
type of food which is essentially full of healthy vitamins, minerals and nutrients
But microalgae is not the first superfood to become popular
Sam
That’s right In the early 2010s, many juice bars started popping up in places
around the world selling green smoothies - energy drinks made by blending
healthy ingredients like kale, chard and spinach The recent trend for microalgae
and spirulina has been promoted in part by big drinks companies wanting to sell
the latest brightly coloured smoothies
Neil
And more and more, spirulina is also being used as a cooking ingredient – in hot
dogs and meatballs – and as a protein-rich substitute for eggs in pasta and
mayonnaise
Sam
But as well as all these health benefits, there’s another advantage to microalgae
superfoods - one that could potentially benefit the whole planet BBC Radio 4’s
The Food Programme asked Professor Alison Smith, Head of Plant Sciences at
:Cambridge University, to explain
:Alison Smith
As the population of the world increases and the land that’s available for
agriculture is becoming stretched, there’s an interest in trying to increase
productivity by other means…so sustainable intensification of agriculture is one
way…
Neil
So food security is an issue - making sure enough nutritionally-rich food is
produced to feed the growing world population Alison Smith says the amount of
agricultural land available for growing food is becoming stretched, meaning
there are not enough resources, in this case farm land, to meet everyone’s needs
Sam
Yes, and she mentions that one possible solution is sustainable intensification of
agriculture - which means increasing food production in ways which don’t
damage the environment or use new land
Neil
Well, we know that microalgae are superfoods, nutritionally rich in vitamins and
protein, but how do they help reduce the need for agricultural land? Alison Smith
:explains
:Alison Smith
“…they can be grown in all sorts of locations – in water, in oceans, ponds, lakes
and so on, even on your patio and on snow… so one of the possibilities is to
produce these organisms in cities and towns because they don’t need the open
landscape to be grown”
Sam
I think I’ve spotted the answer to your quiz question, Neil
Neil
Oh yes? I asked what oceans, snow and my patio have in common
a) They are all good places to relax
b) They are all very cold
c) They are all places where microalgae grows
Sam
The answer is c ) - places where microalgae can grow! What an amazing plant! I
think I’m going to stop calling it pond scum and use the correct scientific name
Prof Smith mentioned, organisms
Neil
Today’s programme was all about microalgae like spirulina, a green, edible food
algae which some people call pond scum, although scientifically speaking it’s an
organism, meaning an animal or plant life form
Sam
Yes, and this plant life form is also called a superfood, because it’s especially rich
in vitamins, minerals and nutrients which promote good health
Neil
Superfoods are having a moment right now, meaning they’re becoming more
popular or trending because they’re so healthy
Sam
And another benefit of microalgae is that it grows almost anywhere So it doesn’t
use much agricultural land, which is becoming stretched, meaning there’s not
enough of it to meet the world’s food needs Sustainable intensification is
another possible solution to this problem, because it is a way of increasing food
production without harming the environment or using new land Don’t forget you
can find lots more learning materials and topical vocabulary on our website at
bbclearningenglishcom Please join us again soon Bye for now!
Neil
Bye!
VOCABULARY
pond scum
a slang name for microalgae like spirulina and chlorella
having a moment
becoming more well-known and popular at this moment in time; similar to
‘trending’
superfood
a type of food which is especially full of healthy nutrients like vitamins, minerals
and protein
becoming stretched
not enough resources to meet people’s needs
sustainable intensification
food produced in ways which don’t damage the environment or use new land
organism
any plant or animal life form
