Know2eat

Rye

Secale cereale

Also known as Rye berries, Rye grain, Wholegrain rye

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A cold-hardy cereal grain used mainly for dense breads and crispbreads in northern and eastern Europe. The USDA reference entry is for the dry grain, which roughly triples in weight when cooked whole.

Blood Sugar & Metabolic HealthGut & Digestive HealthWeight Management

Potential health benefits

Best supported: Limited

Ordered by how well the human research supports them — strongest first. A rating describes the state of the evidence, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Insulin sensitivity

Blood Sugar & Metabolic Health
Limited evidence

Evidence is limited but interesting: several trials report a lower insulin response to rye bread than to wheat bread despite similar glucose curves, an effect that has not been fully explained.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Bowel regularity

Gut & Digestive Health
Insufficient evidence

Several trials report increased stool frequency and softer stools with wholegrain rye compared with refined bread, particularly in people who are constipated.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Satiety and appetite

Weight Management
Insufficient evidence

Some trials report greater and longer-lasting fullness after wholegrain rye bread than after refined wheat bread, with less consistent effects on total daily energy intake.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Ask about Rye

Ask about Rye

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories338 kcal17%
Protein10.3 g21%
Total fat1.63 g2%
Carbohydrate75.9 g28%
Fibre15.1 g54%
Total sugars0.98 g—
Water10.6 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.197 g1%
Monounsaturated fat0.208 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.767 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.659 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A1 µg0%
Vitamin C0 mg0%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E0.85 mg6%
Vitamin K5.9 µg5%
Thiamin (B1)0.316 mg26%
Riboflavin (B2)0.251 mg19%
Niacin (B3)4.27 mg27%
Pantothenic acid (B5)1.46 mg29%
Vitamin B60.294 mg17%
Folate38 µg10%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline30.4 mg6%
Minerals
Calcium24 mg2%
Iron2.63 mg15%
Magnesium110 mg26%
Phosphorus332 mg27%
Potassium510 mg11%
Sodium2 mg0%
Zinc2.65 mg24%
Copper0.367 mg41%
Manganese2.58 mg112%
Selenium13.9 µg25%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene7 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin210 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash1.57 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Rye grain (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 168884).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • fermentedReduces phytate and fructans

    Sourdough fermentation of rye lowers phytate and degrades part of the fructan content, improving mineral availability and often tolerability.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Avoid

    Gluten

    Rye contains secalin, a gluten protein, and must be avoided in coeliac disease. Rye breads are often marketed as a health food, which makes this easy to overlook.

  • Worth knowing

    Fructans and IBS

    Rye is high in fructans and is one of the more common dietary triggers of bloating and pain in irritable bowel syndrome. Long-fermented sourdough rye is often better tolerated.

  • Worth knowing

    Ergot contamination

    Rye is the cereal most susceptible to the ergot fungus, whose alkaloids are toxic. Modern grain cleaning and regulatory limits make this a historical rather than a current problem in commercial supply, but it is the reason rye is monitored.

  • Worth knowing

    Phytate and mineral absorption

    Wholegrain rye carries substantial phytate, which reduces absorption of iron and zinc from the same meal. Sourdough fermentation, traditional in rye baking, degrades much of it.