Rye bread – one the healthiest bread
Bread made from whole and brown rye flours is a major component of
diet in Finland, Denmark, Russia, and the Baltic countries. It has been
shown to be a source of nutrients, especially carbohydrates, fiber,
proteins and some minerals (magnesium, phosphorus, iron).
The chemical composition, nutritional value and sensory quality of bread
depend on the type and extract of rye flour used for its production, on
the technological process, water content and technological additives.
The macronutrients in rye are the same as in other cereals:
starch, dietary fibre, and protein. Rye generally contains less starch
and crude protein than wheat, but more free sugars and dietary fibre. Of
the free sugars, sucrose and fructo-oligosaccharides dominate.
Rye fiber is a rich source of non-cellulose polysaccharides with a high
fiber water-binding capacity. By binding water in the intestinal tract,
rye breads give the sensation of fullness and help normalize bowel
function.
Rye bread has shown potential as a health-beneficial component in the diet, especially in relationto non-communicable diseases.
The dietary fibre content of typical rye bread is about three times
higher than that of white wheat bread. The reason for this is
that rye bread is usually made of whole grain rye fl our, while white
wheat bread is typically made of wheat fl our, where the outer layers of
wheat grain have been eliminated during the milling process. However,
even at the same extraction rate, rye fl our would have a higher fibre
content than wheat flour.
Bioactive compounds present in large quantity in the rye bran
are lignans, alkyresorcinol, benzoxazinoids, phytosterols, phenolic
acids, folates, tocopherols and tocotrienols.
