There are many different types of porridge such as “grits” which is best known in America. This is a kind of porridge made from corn. In China and the Philippines, popular porridges, known as Congee and Arroz Caldo are made from rice.

For a ready to eat cereal that is an even more heart-healthy start to the day, swap for a shredded whole wheat cereal or no added sugar or salt muesli (see above) as these don’t contain any added sugar or salt.

There are two types of porridge that I make for my family on a regular basis. One type uses pinhead oatmeal/steel-cut oatmeal. The second type of porridge is prepared with rolled oats or old-fashioned/Scottish oats as its popularly termed in Scotland. Steel-cut oats

But remember porridge oats are semi pre-cooked and as such are pressed thinner than regular rolled oats, and this means that they will cook much faster than their regular rolled oat counterparts…Setting many hearts aflutter across the UK as he reached for the top shelf box of the famous Scottish porridge, Rory brought the kilted mascot to life for a new generation. 2. The man who inspired the kilted mascot was legendary Highland Games athlete Jay Scott

Before he went onto become famous in Game of Thrones, the Hound (aka Rory McCann) was the face of Scott's Porage Oats. Therefore, it is important you consider the differences between these popular breakfast dishes so you can know which one is the healthier option for you. Porridge is our top choice for a heart healthy breakfast – when it is made with low-fat milk or water and unsweetened. All porridge oats are wholegrains and they all contain a soluble fibre called beta-glucan, which can help lower your cholesterol level if you have 3g or more of it daily, as part of a healthy diet. (A 40g serving of porridge oats contains 1.6g of beta-glucan.) As well as this, you’ll be getting the fibre from the whole grains, plus there is no added sugar or salt. Oatmeal is closely associated with oat based porridge while rice, wheat, and corn can be turned into porridges too. However, these porridges are made from the ingredients that are grown in specific regions of the world so are only made in these areas. Rolled oats vs Old fashioned oats For something so simple as a bowl of traditional porridge it can be difficult if you don't get the ratio of oats to liquid quite right.

4. It's the "secret to long life"

tropical: pineapple, papaya, mango, passion fruit in any combination, sprinkled with desiccated coconut or shreds. A scoop of vegan mango or similar flavour yogurt. Cereals like cornflakes or puffed rice served with low-fat milk – can be part of a healthy breakfast but are low in fibre so not as good a choice as a wholegrain cereal. Adding a piece of fruit will help to balance your breakfast as well as making it more filling to eat. These cereals, and their wholegrain equivalents, usually come with added sugar and salt but also often have added vitamins and minerals which are good for your overall health. Other low-fibre unsweetened cereals (like crisped rice or malted flakes) will be similar from a heart health point of view. It goes without saying but eating too much of anything can be bad for you. Try and only prepare half a cup of oats for any one time and eat your breakfast in a small bowl. This way, you eat less and won’t feel uncomfortable afterward.

Porridge oats are generally referred to as Irishor Scottish oats. In both countries, they are simply known as porridge oats. Irish oats are also referred to as steel-cut oats because the oat groats are cut into a few pieces using a very sharp steel blade.

In comparison, Scottish oats are stone-ground. As the name suggests, oat groats are crushed using a stone to create a messier, more scattered result.