Rye is one of the best-known cereals in Germany. It serves not only as animal feed or biomass, but is also used in food production – for example, for rye rolls or rye bread. In addition, rye is also used to produce beer and schnapps. The grains can be processed into flour, semolina, meal and flakes.
Healthy ingredients of rye
Rye grains contain approximately:
- 54 percent carbohydrates
- 9 percent protein
- 13 percent fiber
- 2 percent fats
- 2 percent minerals
In addition, B and E vitamins, as well as folic acid and pantothenic acid.
Effect on health
For the daily diet are particularly valuable the high content of essential amino acids in rye and the pentosans contained, because they are said to have a cancer-preventive effect. A comparison between Finnish and American women showed that the Finnish women consumed significantly more rye fiber with approximately the same total fiber intake. At the same time, they were significantly less likely to develop certain types of cancer, such as breast or colon cancer.
The high fiber content of rye stimulates digestion and regulates cholesterol levels. In addition, rye keeps you full longer than wheat, for example, and is therefore preferable in a figure-conscious diet.
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Rye contains gluten
However, gluten is present in rye. Therefore, people with gluten intolerance (celiac disease) should better avoid rye products.
In addition, rye is a frequent trigger of hay fever in pollen allergy sufferers. However, one can develop a rye allergy not only to pollen, but also to rye flour. However, such an allergy is much rarer.
Rye is in bread, schnapps and beer
In recent years, the healthy rye has lost popularity. Because rye protein does not form gluten, rye bread is less airy and fluffy than other types of bread. At the same time, however, rye binds water and thus allows the bread to dry out more slowly, making it an ideal bread for storage. Well-known rye bread varieties are pumpernickel and brown bread. In general, rye bread is darker, more aromatic and stronger than wheat bread.
In addition, rye is also suitable for making schnapps: grain and some high-quality vodka varieties are distilled from the grain. In addition, beer can also be brewed from rye mash. However, about half of the world’s rye yield is used as animal feed. A quarter is processed into food, and the rest ends up as straw on farms or as biomass in power generation.
Origin and season of rye
Wild rye was known on the Black Sea as early as 6,600 B.C., but it did not become one of the main cereals until much later. In the Middle Ages, rye gradually developed into the most popular bread crop. Today, Germany is the world’s second largest producer of rye after Russia. Rye is preferably grown on sandy soils and requires a cool but dry climate.
In Germany, mainly the robust winter rye is grown, whose flowering period is between May and July. During this time, many people struggle with allergies, as rye pollen is one of the most common triggers of hay fever.
