The Health Benefits of Rye

Brief History of Rye
Nutrients in Rye
Rye for Cholesterol Reduction
Rye for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
Rye for Cancer Prevention
Rye for Diabetes
Rye for Menopause
Rye for Digestive Health
Glycemic Index of Rye
Adverse Reactions from Rye

Brief History of Rye

Rye (Secale cereale) is a cereal, and is believed to have originated from a Central Asian wild grass, or from a wild rye found in Syria, Armenia, and Iran. Rye has been regarded as an inferior grain and was referred to by the Roman author and philosopher, Pliny the Elder, as food only fit to avert starvation.

Rye grains have the same elongated shape as wheat grains. The grains may be used whole, cracked, or rolled like oats, but they are generally ground into flour. Rye flour comes in several different varieties. Light rye flour has most of the bran removed. Dark rye flour retains most of the bran and germ and is a source of magnesium, trace minerals, folic acid, thiamin, and niacin. Rye flour retains more nutrients than wheat due to the difficulty in separating the germ and bran from the endosperm of rye.

Rye was susceptible to the ergot fungus before the modern farming techniques today, and it is from the ergot fungus that the hallucinogenic drug LSD is synthesized.

Nutrients in Rye

Rye is a very good source of dietary fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, protein and vitamin B1. Rye is also a rich source of lignans, one of the major classes of phytoestrogens, estrogen-like chemicals that also act as antioxidants.

NUTRITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
Rye	Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	1414 kj (338 kcal)
• Carbohydrates	75.86 g
Dietary fiber	75.86 g
• Fat	1.63 g
• Protein	10.34 g
• Vitamin A	11 IU
Thiamine (Vit. B₁)	0.316 mg
Riboflavin (Vit. B₂)	0.251 mg
Niacin (Vit. B₃)	4.270 mg
Pantothenic acid (B₅)	1.456 mg
• Vitamin B₆	0.294 mg
• Folate (Vit. B₉)	38 µg
Vitamin E	0.85 mg
Vitamin K	5.9 µg
• Calcium	24 mg
• Iron	2.63 mg
• Magnesium	110 mg
Phosphorus	332 mg
Potassium	510 mg
Sodium	2 mg
Zinc	2.65 mg
Manganese	2.577 mg
A comprehensive breakdown of nutrients can be found in the Nutrition Database where this food can also be added to a meal planner.

Rye for Cholesterol Reduction

In a 4-week study of 18 men and 22 women who randomly consumed rye and wheat breads, it was concluded that including rye bread in daily dietary habits is an effective and practical method in reducing LDL cholesterol levels in men.

Another study has demonstrated that cholesterol levels were significantly higher after a low fiber diet than after a high fiber diet.

Rye for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Consumption of breads such as rye or pumpernickel is associated with a lower risk of incident cardiovascular disease, and a higher intake of whole grain breakfast cereals is associated with a lower risk of heart failure. It has also been recommended that the elderly increase consumption of dietary cereal fiber due to the association with a lower risk of incident cardiovascular disease.

Rye for Cancer Prevention

Rye foods are associated with increased plasma enterolactone, which is an enterolignan (mammalian lignan) that is formed by intestinal microflora after the consumption of plant lignans. Lignans are naturally occurring plant compounds found in rye and other food such as flax seed. Enterolactone can potentially reduce the risks of certain cancers. Enterolactone, and enterodiol, another lignan derived from rye and other foods, have been shown to reduce mammary tumor and inhibit colon tumor cell growth. The fiber in rye may also reduce the risk of colorectal cancer due to improved bowel function.

Rye for Diabetes

Rye products generally produce a beneficial blood glucose profile following a meal, with a low and sustained blood glucose response. Rye products also induce lowered insulin response compared with white wheat, promoted higher post-meal satiety, and induced lowered voluntary energy intake at a subsequent meal.

In a study at Department of Clinical Nutrition in Finland, postprandial (the time after any meal) insulin responses to the ingestion of rye breads were significantly lower than the response to refined wheat bread. Plasma glucose and insulin peaks are lower after a high fiber diet compared with a low fiber diet.

Rye for Menopause

Lignans act as phytoestrogens (plant chemicals that mimic the hormone estrogen), and also as antioxidants. Due to their oestrogenic activity lignans help to reduce hot flushes and vaginal dryness in postmenopausal women and to some degree may inhibit osteoporosis. Higher dietary intake of cereal fiber and whole-grain products are also associated with less development of coronary atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women with coronary artery disease.

Rye for Digestive Health

Whole-grain foods such as rye provide significant digestive health benefits that refined grain products fail to provide. The fiber from rye appears to be more effective than that from wheat in overall improvement of digestive health. An animal study has demonstrated “moister feces and significantly enhanced gut production” with a rye diet as opposed to a wheat diet. Whole-meal rye bread has been shown to significantly increase fecal output and fecal frequency compared with wheat bread in both women and men.

Glycemic Index of Rye

Ryvita brand crispbread has a medium glycemic index (GI) of 63, and rye whole kernels have a low GI of 39.

Adverse Reactions from Rye

Due to the gluten in rye, it should be avoided by gluten intolerant individuals.

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