If William Wallace hadn't fallen foul of the English, he might have lived to a ripe old age. The Scots were a hardy bunch and it's not hard to see why stronger and tougher than their southern rivals, they had a powerful secret weapon growing in their fields.
It was oats that gave the Scots their indefatigable strength. They used oats in everything from drinks to main meals. For milk they drank water in which oats had been steeped. On the battlefield, or in the fields, they snacked on dry oatcakes bursting with goodness.
Dr Samuel Johnson, in his 1755 dictionary, described oats as ``a grain which in England is generally given to horses, but which in Scotland supports the people." Now we know why the Scots fought like warrior poets.
Everywhere else oats are served they are regarded simply as a breakfast food, way down below sugary cereals and McDonalds bacon and egg muffins in tastiness.
But the Scots have a way with oats that the rest of us would do well to emulate.
Back in the 80s, research into oats revealed that this simple grain helps lower cholesterol. It had a brief run in popularity, being added to everything in the Scots manner, then went underground again until 1998, when the FDA allowed a health claim for foods containing soluble fiber. Oats are a chief supplier of this heart healthy component.
The Scots didn't know this of course, but they did know their diet kept them regular. Furthermore, it gave them the energy to fight the English, and assuaged hunger. The reason for that is the high protein content of oats, twice that of brown rice. Like soy protein, oats are almost equal to meat, milk and eggs in protein. It is this protein that allows oats to become milky when soaked in water.
As well as soluble fiber and protein, oats have significant levels of selenium, thiamin, phosphorus and manganese, as well as copper, folate, vitamin E and zinc. Oats are a good low GL grain for diabetics.
Four different types of oats are grown in the US, the most popular being the familiar white oats which are sold in supermarkets across the country. Oats also come in red, grey and black, but all possess the same nutritional value.
The less processed the grain, the better it is for you. Discarded oat bran is added to other foods like cereals to make them healthier.
It's easy to introduce more oats into your diet just do what the Scots do, and put it in everything.
It's a prime ingredient in Haggis, but you may not want to go this far. Instead, use rolled oats as filler for hamburgers and meatloaf. I promise you no one will even know it is there it actually makers the meat taste juicer. Add oats to soup as you would barley or dried legumes, as a thickener. You'll get tastier soup and more goodness.
Oatcakes still make a great snack for any time of day. Just mix one pound of rolled oats with 80z of plain flour, 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, a sprinkle of salt and 1 teaspoon raw sugar. Melt 4 oz butter or margarine and mix into the dry ingredients with enough lukewarm water to make a stiff dough. Roll it out and cut into rounds with a cookie cutter. Bake in a hot oven for 15-20 minutes. Don't let them get brown. Oatcakes can be served with jam, cottage cheese or soup.
While the most common meal among the poor was a thin gruel made of oats, it was still very nutritious. Much more delicious, but still economical, is the dish known as Boyndie Broth, a simple but hearty soup made with oats and smoked fish.
In a large soup pan, gently fry one chopped onion and one large grated carrot in a little oil until soft. Add half a cup of rolled oats and mix with the vegetables, cooking for a few minutes. Add one pint chicken or vegetable stock, let it boil then turn down the heat and allow to simmer. Add one pint of milk, some chopped herbs (chives, parsley, thyme). The soup will thicken. To serve, add some flaked smoked salmon or kipper fillets.
The uses of oats don't stop at the kitchen door. Oat milk has long been regarded as the secret behind those beautiful Scottish complexions. You can try rinsing your face with it, or adding finely ground oats to your bathwater. It is beautifully soothing for skin rashes and sunburn.
The discarded hull of milled oats also produces furfural, which in turn produces a range of chemical products, including nylon and pharmaceuticals.
Oats don't store long, except in cool weather, so it is advisable to store them in the fridge or freezer in hot weather.
But it's such a highly useful grain, that storage won't be a problem at all.