Why rye bread is good for me?
Author: Ruski Way Deli & Cafe Date Posted:11 December 2014
Sick of that bloated feeling from eating bread, want to lose a few inches without going on an extreme diet and boost your energy levels? Keep reading then.
Rye bread is a type of bread made with various proportions of flour from rye grain. It can be light or dark in color, depending on the type of flour used and is typically denser than bread made from wheat flour. It is higher in fiber than white bread and is often darker in color and stronger in flavor.
Many different types of rye grain have come from north-central and eastern Europe such as Finland, Denmark, Baltic countries, Russia, The Netherlands and Germany. In Austria, Finland, Estonia, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine, rye breads of varying consistency are the most popular type of bread.
Rye is a very healthy and nutritious cereal grain packed full of nutrients and health benefits. It is a grain similar to wheat, and like wheat, whole grain rye is much healthier than refined. However, unlike wheat, separating the rye germ and bran (the parts containing the majority of nutrients) from the endosperm is difficult, so refined rye flour retains many more nutrients than refined wheat flour.
Rye bread has notable health benefits when compared to white bread.
Nutrient rich
Rye is packed full of essential vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Because the germ and bran in the endosperm remain during processing, rye retains its many nutrients which include fiber, protein, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, vitamin B-1, folic acid, thiamin, niacin and antioxidants.
Rye is very rich in manganese, with one serving having 72 percent of the recommended daily value. It also is rich in phosphorous, copper, pantothenic acid (B5), and magnesium.
These nutrients also help lower cholesterol along with the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. Additionally, it contains plant lignans, which are phytonutrients that protect against breast cancer and heart disease.
One slice of rye bread contains about 83 calories.
Improves digestion and helps weight loss
Rye contains over 30 percent of the recommended daily amount of fiber. Fiber is an essential part of the diet, and has many health benefits. Eating a diet high in fiber keeps the digestive system healthy. Fiber binds to toxins in the colon and removes them from the system, which can prevent cancer. Additionally, diets high in fiber have been shown to promote weight loss, and studies have shown that eating rye leads to a lower body weight than eating wheat.
Fiber, most of which is removed from processed grains, such as white bread, also contributes to lower cholesterol and less fat in the abdomen and around digestive organs. Rye bread helps relieve constipation. Rye improves bowel movement in overweight middle-aged males.
High satiety
Rye’s high-fiber content contributes to satisfying hunger, making you less likely to reach for a second helping. If you have it for breakfast, rye bread can decrease hunger both before and after lunch as compared to wheat.
Healthier blood sugar levels
Because most of the fiber is stripped away from processed grains, white bread can create a quick rise in blood sugar that raises your insulin level and informs your body to store fat rather than burn it. The less processed rye grains maintain a more even level of blood sugar and insulin for more efficient fat-burning, lower blood pressure, reduced inflammation and a decreased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Preventing diabetes and heart disease
Magnesium helps lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. For those who already have diabetes, studies found that rye is a better option than wheat because it has a lower insulin response. Rye also reduces inflammation in the body, and chronic inflammation can lead to numerous diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. Diets rich in fiber also lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Other studies have found rye down-regulates risky genes, which means that eating rye can prevent genes that cause diseases from expressing, thereby preventing the development of the disease.
Is rye bread gluten free?
Any bread rye or wheat contains gluten as soon as it is made of gluten-containing grains. Rye contains less gluten than wheat flour, and this makes rye bread significantly denser. Unless it says on the packaging "Gluten Free" it is not. If you are on a gluten free diet we would not recommend you to consume either rye or wheat bread without getting advice from your health practitioner. Fortunately, there are also now a great range of alternative gluten free products available. This will enable you to make the transition from a wheat-based diet to gluten free diet easily without sacrificing good nutrition or enjoyment of food. For example gluten free products include buckwheat and millet which are available from our store all the time.
How rye bread becomes unhealthy
The health benefits of rye bread depend on the actual ingredients. Whole grain rye needs to be the first ingredient in the list. Many store-bought rye breads actually list unbleached enriched flour as the first ingredient and water as the second. This means rye flour is just a small percentage of the ingredients, decreasing the health benefits. You should also look to see if there are any other unhealthy ingredients in the bread like high-fructose corn syrup and additives. The healthiest rye bread will have the highest concentration of rye flour and simple ingredients.
Buy healthy rye bread today
As long as you are not gluten intolerant or have celiac disease, rye bread can be good for you–as long as it has the right ingredients. Rye bread is healthier than a wheat-based bread, even whole wheat. You can always buy the right type of rye bread at Ruski Way Deli & Cafe and benefit from its numerous health benefits. Click here to see our selection of healthy rye bread.