more rye - the benefits

Which loaf of bread do you normally get from your neighbourhood 7-Eleven or from the friendly Breadman? Usually I would automatically pick the wheat whole meal bread, unless there’s chicken curry at home - then I would go for the plain loaf. However, there’s a healthier alternative to these - rye bread.

Rye bread is a type of bread made with various percentages of flour from rye grain. It can be light or dark in color, depending on the type of flour used and the addition of coloring agents, and is typically denser than bread made from wheat flour. It is higher in fiber than many common types of bread and is often darker in color and stronger in flavour.

When it comes to health, rye bread certainly has some advantages over wheat bread.

A new study published in the Nutrition Journal showed that a breakfast of rye bread may help with weight control. Volunteers who ate rye bread for their breakfast experienced less hunger later in the day (up to eight hours!) compared to those who ate wheat bread. The strongest effect was for rye bread made with rye bran. The fiber in rye bread does have an unusually high water binding capacity which causes it to expand in the intestines. This could lead to a more pronounced sensation of fullness. So, in a way, it may actually help in weight loss.

Rye has also been the focus of recent research by the Finnish company Fazer which hopes to promote rye more widely as a health food, even for children. They have found rye to be a good source of "prebiotics" and fibre, making it a valuable food for cancer prevention (typically breast and colon cancer). It is also recommended as having a role in preventing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Rye bread is also a good source of magnesium which helps to control blood pressure and optimise the health of the heart.

However, those with grain allergies or allergies to rye should avoid consuming it. If someone allergic consumes the grain or comes in contact with it, a doctor should be consulted to make sure the symptoms don't worsen. Some symptoms are skin rash, itching (for eg. in the eye), swelling, upset stomach, headaches and difficulties in breathing.

Hmm.. sounds like I should really try this healthy nutritional tasty alternative. Have you had a piece of rye bread lately?