RYE

Rye is a close relative to wheat but more nutritious. It has dark beige to dark gray slender kernels and a rich robust flavor. While the origin of other cereal grains can be traced to ancestral wild grasses, rye appeared abruptly much later as a grain field weed in Asia Minor some 2 to 5,000 years ago. Virtually ineradicable, rye grows as high as a person’s head, much taller than wheat. Rye will thrive and produce amply in a variety of climates and at high altitudes, surviving even in subzero temperatures, and is very tolerant of poor soil fertility.

Rye was a major crop of the Vikings and a European staple throughout the Middle Ages. It became the most productive bread grain crop in the mountainous regions of Eastern Europe and Russia, where it is still widely grown. The English and Dutch first brought Rye seeds to the United States.
The bread bakers of Northern Europe www.armchair.com/recipe/ryebread.html and Eurasia had to be versatile and, out of necessity, learned to produce delightful, moisture retentive, long keeping, earthy sourdough www.eap.mcgill.ca/Publications/EAP35.htm rye breads. Rye’s assertive hearty flavor matches its strong weed like hardiness and its ability to strengthen muscles, promote energy and endurance. Because rye has less gluten than wheat, rye breads will always have a denser structure.

In warmer climates wheat displaced rye as higher volume varieties were developed, and because it is easier to make bread from wheat than from rye.
Rye (Secale cereale) products, mostly consumed as whole grain, have numerous health benefits. http://rye.vtt.fi Beneficial ingredients include vitamins, minerals, trace elements, antioxidants and plant estrogen. Studies show that those consuming significant amounts of rye have increased bowel health, reduced risk of coronary heart disease, adult-onset diabetes, and bowel cancer.

A high consumption of cereal fiber and whole grain is associated with a decreased risk of diabetes. Some factors in the dietary fiber in whole grain rye seem to have favorable effects on insulin and glucose metabolism. Rye bread containing whole grains has a remarkably lower glycemic index than whole grain bread made from wheat and most other grains, making them especially healthy for diabetics. 

Rye is unusual among grains for the high level of fiber in both its endosperm and bran. Its insoluble fiber has an exceptionally high water-binding capacity; quickly giving a feeling a fullness and satiety, helpful for anyone trying to lose weight, while increasing the exertion of energy, helping improve bowel function, and reducing constipation.

Cancer experts have found a clear connection between a whole grain fiber rich diet (The Whole Grain Guide www.cspinet.org/nah/wwheat.html) and helping to reduce the risk of colon cancer, as well as lessen the risk for both breast and prostate cancer. The latest studies indicate that rye and whole grain products reduce the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure as well.

Eating a serving of whole grains, such as rye, at least 6 times each week is an especially good idea for individuals with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or other signs of cardiovascular disease.

Consuming rye can ease women’s ride through menopause. For some women, the lignans in rye help prevent or reduce menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. Lignans belong to a group of phyto-estrogens that help normalize estrogenic activity. Among grains, rye has the highest content, while flax is the richest seed source.

Although rye contains the protein gluten, as do wheat, oats, and barley, some individuals with food sensitivities have found they can tolerate rye www.mothernature.com/Library/Ency/Index.cfm/Id/1916004 without an adverse reaction. However, those with an intestinal disorder caused by gluten intolerance would be best to maintain a gluten-free diet, with the possible exception of small amounts of oats.