ANCIENT GRAIN: Rye

Rye is a mountain grain, currently undergoing widespread reevaluation due to the rediscovery of its excellent nutritional properties.

Its origins seem to date back 2,000 years in Asia Minor, and in Ancient Rome, it was considered a grain suitable for making the “bread of the poor” for the lower classes. Today, it is widely cultivated, particularly in Germanic-speaking countries, known for their typical slightly sour “black bread,” but also in Russia and France. In Italy, it is grown mainly in South Tyrol, Valtellina, and Val Camonica.

Rye (Secale cereale L.), also called “segala,” is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Poaceae family, commonly known as “Grasses,” which has been part of the human diet for centuries due to its excellent digestibility and relatively neutral taste.

It is the only cereal that is mostly consumed in the form of bread; only a small portion is used as animal feed or in the production of distilled spirits.

Rye is a very hardy plant that adapts well to high altitudes and withstands cold climates and diseases. It grows in difficult, dry, and poor soils and is not very demanding when it comes to fertilizers and pesticides.


Rye comes in 2 varieties:

  • Winter rye or "large rye", a long-cycle variety, the most cultivated in Central Europe, characterized by a large, round grain. It is sown in the summer and harvested in September of the following year.
  • Summer rye or "dormant" rye, an autumn-cycle variety because it is sown in September/October before the frost and harvested in spring.

The two varieties do not differ much in their organoleptic and nutritional characteristics, which include:

  • They are rich in both soluble and insoluble fibers.
  • They are very energetic (336 Kcal per 100 g) and restorative, but at the same time, they do not cause a feeling of fullness.
  • They have a high concentration of minerals and trace elements, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and even fluoride.
  • They contain various vitamins, especially Vitamin E and some from the B group (especially niacin).


Therapeutic properties recognized in rye include:

  • Its high fiber content increases the activity of bacterial microflora and intestinal peristalsis, with a protective effect on the colon and digestive system.
  • It has anti-arteriosclerotic effects and protects against cardiovascular diseases.
  • Due to the significant presence of lysine, an essential amino acid, it ensures the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels.
  • It has a low glycemic index and controls sugar absorption in the body.
  • It has purifying and detoxifying properties, being a friend of the liver and kidneys (provided there are no kidney issues).
  • It is also considered an excellent “anti-stress” grain.


Rye has the following contraindications:

  • It contains gluten, although in lower amounts than wheat, so it cannot be consumed by individuals with celiac disease.
  • It is not recommended for people with gout due to its high purine content, which is metabolized into uric acid.
  • With modern seed control and production practices, the risk of contamination by “ergot” (a parasitic fungus that could cause Saint Anthony’s Fire or Herpes Zoster, as was common in past centuries) is virtually eliminated.