Grain of rye

Rye is a cereal grown predominantly in parts of Europe and North America, generally where climate and soil are unfavorable for other cereals or as a winter crop where temperatures are too low for winter wheat. 

There are three clearly defined species of rye:

1. Secale cereal L., the cultivated species, which also exists as a highly diverse annual weed in farms in Iran, Afghanistan an Transcaspia;

2. Secale montanum Gussh., an out-breeding, widely distributed assemblage of perennial races located from Morocco east through the Mediterranean countries to Iraq and Iran;

3. Secale sylvestre Host., an annual in-breeder, which is widely distributed from Hungary to the steppes of southern Russia.

Rye contains per 100 g edible portion water 11.0 g, energy 1402 kJ, protein 14.8 g, fat 2.5 g, carbohydrate 69.8 g. dietary fiber 14.6 g, Ca 33 mg, Mg 121 mg, P 374 mg, Fe 2.7 g, Zn 3.7 g, vitamin A 11 IU, thiamin 0.32 mg, riboflavin 0.25 mg, niacin 4.3 mg, vitamin B6 0,29 mg, and folate 60 ug.

Rye is one of the important cereal grains of the world, and grows in more ‘difficult’ conditions than wheat – on poorer soil and in colder climates.

Rye is the only cereals grain other than wheat to have the necessary properties for bread making. Normally rye and wheat flours are frequently blended for baking purposes.

Rye grain is also used for making whisky, particularly in the United States.
Grain of rye