Rye is a grain rich in nutrients, minerals and vitamins. It contains gluten, making it suitable for baking bread. It is also used to make rye flour, rye flakes and bran, light and dark breads and rolls, pumpernickel bread, pasta, crisps, leaven and bread mixes. You can also find rye vodka, rye beer and whiskey. What exactly are the nutritional and he alth-promoting properties of rye?

Rye( Secale cereale ) is one of the fast-growingannual plants . Depending on the variety, it can reach 1-2 meters in height. It has oblong blue-green leaves and reduced inflorescences. It is awind-pollinated plant . The rye grains are yellow-gray-green and spindle-shaped. Rye ears are pendulous, 5 to 20 cm long and have a characteristic mustache, also known asbones .

Rye comes from South-West Asia. About6500 yearsBC began to spread to the areas of the Balkan Peninsula and further - inland Europe. Initially, rye was not considered a grain by mankind, but aharmful weedthat drowned out wheat and hindered its cultivation. It is more fertile and resistant to unfavorable environmental conditions than wheat, and at the same time has a slightly worse digestibility.

It is estimated that rye cultivation developed in Europe around1000 yearsBC mainly due to much greater resistance to harsh climatic conditions compared to other cereals. Rye probably arrived in Poland in the 5th century BC

Where is rye used?

Rye is a grain used primarily to makebreads and whiskey . On store shelves you can find:

  • rye flour,
  • rye flakes and bran,
  • breads and light and dark rolls,
  • pumpernickel,
  • pasta,
  • crisps,
  • leaven,
  • bread mixes,
  • rye vodka,
  • rye beer.

The importance of rye in the world as a bread grain is currently very small. Only in Central and Eastern Europe, rye bread still enjoys great popularity. A much larger selection of rye products is offered by organic stores and those with the so-called he althy food.

Rye contains gluten and is the only grain, besides wheat, that is suitable for making loaf bread. GlutenRye, however, is less flexible than wheat, and therefore considered technologically inferior.Rye breadsare heavier and denser than wheat bread because of the properties of gluten. Thewholemeal rye breadis most often called black because of the dark color of the dough. Lighter breads contain admixtures of refined rye flour or other flours, mainly wheat.

Pumpernickel bread , a dark brown bread made entirely of unrefined rye flour, has been a staple food in Central and Eastern Europe for centuries.

As much as 2/3 of the world's rye production is used as feed for farm animals, mainly fattening pigs, pasture crops and manure plowed in to improve soil quality. Rye straw is tough and is still used in thatch, straw mattresses and hat braiding.

Rye cultivation in Poland and in the world

Rye comes in several different grades, but the most important economically iscommon ryeavailable in a wide variety of traditional, hybrid and synthetic varieties. It is also calledrye .

Rye is grown primarily in regions withadverse weather conditions . Crops are mainly found in Europe, Asia and North America in areas where the climate and soil are insufficient for sowing other crops. Rye is also the staple winter grain in regions where winter temperatures are too low for winter wheat. This grain isresistant to frost , has low temperature and soil requirements. Due to the developed root system, it is resistant towater shortages . It is able to grow even around the Arctic Circle.

Rye, however, compared to wheat,has little economic importance . Its crops cover approximately 11 million hectares of land worldwide, which is approx.1.5%of all crops. The greatest amount of rye is harvested in Central and Eastern Europe. The main producers are: Russia, Sweden, Poland, Germany and Belarus. Worldwide rye yields amount to about 13 million tons each year, of which over 20% are grains from Polish crops. In Poland, in 2022, rye was grown on an area of ​​approx. 1 million hectares, and the yield was estimated at2.9 million tons of grain . A year earlier, it was about 2.5 million tons. Every year, the rye harvest in Poland accounts for about 10% of the total cereal yield. Both spring and winter varieties are grown.

Rye - nutritional value

The basic composition of rye grain is very similar to that of wheat, as well as other grains. Basically rye, vCompared to wheat, it contains less starch and protein and more fiber. Whole rye grain is primarily a source of carbohydrates, mainly starch. The fiber it contains consists of:

  • arabinoxylans
  • β-glucans
  • fructans (constituents of soluble fiber)
  • cellulose
  • lignins (components of insoluble fiber)

The amount of soluble fiber in rye is higher than that in wheat, and it is he who is credited with many properties of pro-he alth rye products. Protein makes up about 11% of the weight of the grain, and rye contains proteins that make up gluten.

The amount of fat is small. Rye grains provide:

  • B vitamins,
  • folate,
  • vitamin E,
  • iron,
  • magnesium,
  • zinc.

However, these amounts are not different from other cereals. In addition to vitamins and minerals, rye also containsbioactive compounds , which are mainly located in the embryo and outer layer of the grain. These include:

  • lignany,
  • phenolic acids,
  • alk (en) ylresorcinole,
  • phytosterols.

Lignans are natural plant-derived hormones similar to female estrogens. More than 80% of rye lignans are: pinoresinol, syringaresinol, lariciresinol and isolaricresinol.

The main phenolic acid of rye is ferulic acid, which accounts for about 85% of all compounds from this group in grains. Phenolic acids are powerful antioxidants.

Plant sterols are compounds that lower the absorption of cholesterol from food when eaten in close proximity. The sterols in rye grains include mainly:

  • sitosterol (approx. 50%),
  • campesterol (15-18%),
  • sitostanol (12-15%),
  • Campestanol (8-10%),
  • sigmasterol (2-4%). ​​

Rye, like other grains, contains phytic acid (5.4 - 11.6 mg / 100 g), which hinders the absorption of minerals.

Nutritional value per 100 g
rye, grainlight rye flour (types 580, 650)medium rye flour (types 800, 950)dark rye flour (types 1400, 1850, 2000)
Energy [kcal]338357349325
Water [g]10,611,410.9710.75
Protein [g]10.349.8210.8815.91
Fat [g]1.631,331,522,22
Ash [g]1,570.781,22,5
Carbohydrates [g]75.8676,6875,4368,63
Sugars [g]0.980.931,12.31
Fiber [g]15,1811.823.8

Rye - minerals

Minerals per 100 g
rye, grainlight rye flour (types 580, 650)medium rye flour (types 800, 950)dark rye flour (types 1400, 1850, 2000)
Calcium [mg]24132437
Iron [mg]2.630.912.544.97
Magnesium [mg]1103263160
Phosphorus [mg]332130225499
Potassium [mg]510224374717
Sodium [mg]2222
Zinc [mg]2.651,332,175.04
Copper [mg]0,3670,2130,3310.56
Manganese [mg]2,5771,1622,4126,062
Selenium [μg]13,917.614,418

Rye - vitamins

Vitamins per 100 g
rye, grainlight rye flour (types 580, 650)medium rye flour (types 800, 950)dark rye flour (types 1400, 1850, 2000)
Thiamine [mg]0,3160,3310.2870,316
Riboflavin [mg]0,2510.090,1140,251
Niacin [mg]4,270.81,7274,27
Pantothenic acid [mg]1,4560.6650.4921,456
Pyridoxine [mg]0,2940.2340.2680.443
Folates [μg]38233433
Folic acid [μg]0000
Vitamin A [IU]110011
Vitamin E [mg]0.850.831,432.73
Vitamin K [μg]5,95,95,95,9
Choline [mg]30,410.820.630,4
Betaine [mg]146,1no datano datano data
Lutein + zeaxanthin [μg]210210210210

Rye - essential amino acids

Essential Amino Acids in 100 g
rye, grainlight rye flour (types 580, 650)medium rye flour (types 800, 950)dark rye flour (types 1400, 1850, 2000)
Tryptophan [g]0,1080,1110,1230,18
Treonina [g]0,2890.2780,3410.49
Isoleucine [g]0,2080.2350.2530,353
Leucine [g]0.5630.5560.6110.857
Lysine [g]0,2860.210,2120,338
Methionine [g]0,1530,1130,1360,199
Phenylalanine [g]0.4350.4450.4880.646
Tyrosine [g]0,20,1990,1830.271
Walina [g]0,3170,3230,3480.498
Arginine [g]0.4540,380.470.764
Histidine [g]0,1890,1470,1590.233
Alanina [g]0.4050,3370.410.647
Aspartic acid [g]0.560.4960.5420.827
Glutamic acid [g]2,2942,4572,5273,139
Glycine [g]0.4160,3330.4260.68
Proline [g]0.8040.9650.8511,014
Serine [g]0.4580.4340.4840.681

Rye - pro-he alth properties

Rye is eaten mainly in the form of preparations made of rye flour. Wholemeal products made of dark flours are the he althiest. Wholemeal rye products are an important source of fibernutrients, minerals and some vitamins, and the bioactive ingredients contained in them play a role in the prevention of certain diseases.

150 gwholemeal rye bread (4-5 slices) covers the need for fiber in40-60% , folates - 22%, magnesium - 17%, and zinc - 32-40%. Numerous scientific studies have confirmed the positive effect of eating wholemeal rye baking on he alth.

The benefits of eating wholemeal rye bread include:

  • decreased insulin secretion after a meal
  • regulation of insulin-glucose metabolism
  • lower risk of type 2 diabetes
    • Soluble fiber in force slows the digestion of carbohydrates and the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, making the insulin response less violent. Phenolic acids also have an effect that slows down the release of insulin
  • lowering the level of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in the blood
    • the reduction of cholesterol absorption, and thus lowering its blood level by about 10%, is due to fiber, which binds cholesterol and accelerates its excretion from the body. The sterols and stanols present in life also have a cholesterol-lowering effect, but only when both are eaten in quick succession
  • improved bowel function
  • improvement in the growth of he althy bifidobacteria living in the intestines
  • lowering the concentration of colorectal cancer markers
    • better intestinal he alth as a result of eating whole-grain rye products is mainly related to the presence of fiber. Fiber binds water, thereby increasing the volume of the stool and accelerating its excretion. A shorter amount of residues remaining in the intestines is associated with a lower risk of toxic substances entering the intestines. Rye fiber promotes the production of butyric acid in the intestines, which nourishes the intestinal cells and is crucial in the prevention and treatment of many diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome, diverticular disease and inflammatory bowel diseases.
  • increase in the concentration of enterolactone in the blood, which is associated with a lower risk of heart disease and breast cancer.

ergot in rye grains

Rye easily becomes infected with ergot, or more precisely with a parasitic fungus calledred mace . This fungus produces alkaloids that are toxic to humans and animals and lead to a disease calledergotism . Currently, the problem is not very common due to the use of preventive measures, but it is worth being aware of its existence. Ergot poisoning has been known for centuries and takes two forms: systolic andgangrenous. The first,contraction , is called theSt. Witand her symptoms include:

  • sensory disturbance
  • muscle tremors
  • convulsions
  • headache
  • stomach ache
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • cyanosis
  • slow heart rate
  • strong nervous arousal
  • racing thoughts

The characterzgorzelinowais known as " St. Anthony's fire"and appears:

  • sensory disturbance,
  • slow heart rate
  • attacks of breathlessness
  • tissue ischemia due to excessive and prolonged vasoconstriction
  • blood clots
  • tissue necrosis
  • paralysis of the respiratory center

May lead todeath .

Currently, grain intended for the food and feed industry is tested for the presence of ergot in the grain. The European Union sets the allowable amount of ergot spores at:

  • 500 mg / kgin cereals intended for human consumption
  • 1000 mg / kgin cereal for animal feed
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