[Music] hello and welcome back to our beloved listeners this is the 8 Minute English podcast series on the learn English podcast Channel I'm your host Nathan and it's a pleasure to have you with us again today we're diving into the world of healthy abits and a well-known saying an apple a day keeps the doctor away we'll be talking about the health benefits of apples fun ways to add them to your diet and some tips for eating mindfully so whether you love apples or are just curious about this crunchy snack get ready to learn something new and see how this simple fruit can be so healthy also we've prepared a special free PDF for this episode full of useful tips and vocabul to help you learn more be sure to check it [Music] out hello Dr James I hear too much about a sentences that an apple a day keeps the doctor away can you help me to explain more about it hi Kelly welcome to my nutrition clinic and I'm here to share some information about healthy habits and why apples are such a great fruit thanks Dr James so let's start by understanding what this saying means can you explain it to us in simple words this saying means that if you eat an apple every day you might be healthier and avoid getting sick as often so you might not need to see the doctor as much interesting so are apples really magical not exactly but apples do have many healthy things inside them that are good for our bodies let's talk about some of the reasons why apples are such a healthy fruit apples have something called vitamins these vitamins help our bodies grow strong and fight off sickness vitamins like little superheroes exactly apples also have fiber which helps our bodies digest food properly and they have antioxidants which help keep our cells healthy wow that sounds good so why are these things important for our health because when our bodies are healthy and strong we have more energy to play learn and do the things we love and when we eat healthy foods like apples we are less likely to get sick and miss out on fun activities that makes sense so an apple a day might not completely keep the doctor away but it can definitely be a part of a healthy life lifestyle yes eating apples is a simple way to take care of ourselves Dr James we learned how healthy apples are now how can we easily add them to our daily meals great question Kelly there are many ways to enjoy apples the simplest way is to eat them fresh just wash them take a bite and enjoy their sweet and crunchy taste easy and delicious but what if we want something different sometimes you can slice apples and add them to your favorite salads they add a nice sweetness and crunch to the greens sounds refreshing what about drinks you can cut apples into pieces and blend them with yogurt or milk for a healthy and tasty smoothie yummy and what about cooked apples apples are also great when cooked you can try baking them with cinnamon for a warm and comforting snack or you can add chopped apples to oatmeal for a sweet and filling breakfast that sounds like a lot of options the key is to find ways to enjoy apples that fit your taste and lifestyle great tips Dr James so even if we don't have an apple every single day there are still many ways to include include them in our diet okay Dr James we learned so much about apples and mindful eating is there anything else you can share about building healthy habits right Kelly eating an apple a day is a great way to start it's a small change but small changes can lead to Big improvements in our health over time that makes sense so what other tips can you give us for building healthy habits don't try to change everything at once focus on one or two small changes like adding an apple to your daily diet and stick with them for a while you can make healthy choices Easy by keeping healthy snacks like apples on hand so you have a good option when you're feeling hungry moreover you can ask a friend or family member to join you in your healthy eating Journey it's more fun and motivating when you do it together when you reach a goal even a small one take a moment to celebrate this will help you stay on track remember every step you take towards a healthier lifestyle is a positive step thanks again Dr James so even if we don't become perfect healthy eaters overnight we can all start with small changes like enjoying an apple a day we mostly talked about apples but you mentioned something about seasonal fruits earlier can you tell us more about that sure seasonal fruits are fruits that are grown and harvested at their peak time of year this means they are naturally sweeter juicier and have more vitamins so apples can be seasonal too there are many different Apple varieties and each one has its own season for example some popular summer apples are Gayla and honey crisp while Fuji and Granny Smith are better known for fall Harvest interesting how can we choose the freshest apples here are some tips look for apples that are firm and smooth with no soft spots or bruises and remember buying seasonal apples often means they are locally grown locally grown what's the benefit of that local produce means the fruits and vegetables haven't traveled long distances this means they are fresher have a smaller carbon footprint because of less transportation and you're supporting your local farmers that's great to know so by choosing seasonal and local apples we get the best taste support our community and help the environment exactly Kelly so next time you're at the store look for seasonal apples and see what delicious varieties are in season [Music] now that we've heard some wonderful weekend stories let's talk about some key vocabulary related to our topic first up fresh not frozen canned or dried it refers to food that has just been picked or harvested apples are a delicious and fresh fruit to enjoy as a snack next is a slice to cut something into thin flat pieces pieces you can slice apples and add them to your salad for a crunchy texture blend is another verb to mix two or more things together until they become smooth blend some chopped apples with yogurt for a healthy and refreshing smoothie let's look at bake to cook food in an oven with dry heat try baking apples with cinnamon for a warm and comforting dessert finally local produced or existing in a particular area buying local apples supports your community farmers and reduces the environmental impact of [Music] Transportation let's delve into two important questions about our topic the first question is we learn that apples are a healthy fruit why is it important to eat healthy foods eating healthy foods gives your body the nutrients it needs needs to stay strong and fight off sickness this means you have more energy to play learn and do the things you love the second question what's the difference between mindful eating and regular eating mindful eating means slowing down and paying attention to your food while you eat you focus on the taste texture and how your body feels regular eating can be done quickly or while distracted Without Really noticing the food itself I'd love to hear your thoughts on these questions please leave your comments below and let's [Music] discuss all right folks that's all the time we have for today we hope you learned a bunch about the power of apples and how they can be a delicious part of a healthy lifestyle remember small changes can lead to Big results so even if you don't have an apple every single day incorp ating them more often is a great step [Music]