Porridge protects health

When the morning starts a bit chilly there is nothing better than a bowl of nourishing porridge.

Dr Johnston, who led the team that created the first dictionary of English dictionary, inserted an explanation of porridge along the lines that in England it is a food for cattle but that in Scotland it sustains the population. Sassenachs have been poking fun at porridge ever since.

But, in fact, porridge oats are a modern wonder food when it comes to protecting the heart and general health. Being made from the wholegrain cereal the beca glucan in oats, a soluble fibre, is said to act like a sponge absorbing cholesterol and removing it from the body. Porridge oats contain lots of complex carbohydrates and soluble fibre which means that they release their energy slowly – rather than giving an instant hit that quickly wears off as happens with sugary breakfast cereals.

English people, such as Sharon, take their porridge with sugar or honey, which is a sacrilege to the Scots part of the household who takes it with salt as have generations of kilt wearing real men. In the old days, a large vat of porridge, big enough to last the week, was boiled up and then poured into a drawer from which it could be cut in slabs for breakfast each day. When not filled with porridge, drawers also came in handy, lined with soft blankets, as a place for the baby to sleep.

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©Phillip Bruce 2009