Although wheat bread is supreme on the shelves of American grocery stores, rye bread is worth looking for and trying because it is a healthier choice. Rye bread is higher in fiber and has rich hearty taste. Rye bread also satisfies hunger better than wheat bread, and it helps to reduce and maintain healthy weight. This is because rye bread is very high in fiber (8g/slice) compare to the wheat bread (2g/slice). It is not a secret that most Americans don’t consume the required amounts of fiber. Just one sandwich a day made of rye bread will increase your fiber consumption to about 65% of the daily requirement. Fiber is a good regulator of satiety, healthy weight and healthy bowel movements. It also reduces risk of gallstone accumulation.
Additionally, rye bread showed impressive results on enhancing insulin secretion and could be the best choice for those suffering of Obesity and Diabetes. A twelve-week study suggests that even people with metabolic syndrome can increase their insulin secretion by consuming rye bread and pasta. The latest study from the Nutrition Journal investigated the effects of rye bread on normal –to-overweight participants. Thirty-nine postmenopausal women consumed rye bread for 8 weeks that was followed by a washout period and then consumption of 8-weeks of wheat bread. The diets were regulated and kept unchanged during the whole study period by a Registered Dietitian. Participants were advised to eat 4-5 portions of breads, trying to cover 20% of their daily energy intake. Participants had 4 types of rye bread to choose from that differ in shape and appearance to increase the variability and consumption of bread. Seven different white wheat breads were offered to the participants as well. The rye bread was estimated to have 17% of dietary fiber where the wheat bread contained only 2.8% dietary fiber. While the calories, carbohydrates and fats that were consumed stayed the same during all 3 periods of the study, the fiber increased from 15g(on wheat bread diet) to 47g( on rye bread diet). Scientists concluded that addition of the rye bread to the diet changed metabolite concentrations that are responsible for satiety and weight maintenance. Other studies suggest that rye may reduce inflammation in people with metabolic syndrome and down-regulate (switch off) some of “the risky genes” including genes that related to stress, over-action of the immune system and even weight gain. Additionally, some resources suggest that because it is difficult to separate the germ and bran from the endosperm of rye, rye flour retains a large amount of nutrients that are lost in refined flour. These are manganese (72% DV), Phosphorous (30% DV), Copper (24% DV), Pantothenic Acid (16% DV) Magnesium (15%) and other.
This study was done in Finland. Northern European rye bread is not the Jewish rye that we commonly find on the shelves of US grocery stores. Rye breads usually listed as German, Latvian, Lithuanian, and other Northern European countries are famous.
