Composition and benefits of rye grain for human health. What contraindications to the use of cereals are distinguished by modern medicine? How is grain eaten and what recipes exist with its participation?
Rye (lat. Secale cereale) is an annual plant from the Cereal family, which is actively used by humans in medicine, cooking and even in art. Rye grains are ground into flour, germinated and soaked for compresses. Food made from cereals saturates the human body with many useful substances. Whole rye can be purchased at any grocery market. Processing grain in your own kitchen is easy. At the same time, in supermarkets you can find a lot of ready-made rye groats and flour of various grinding.
Composition and calorie content of rye
The chemical composition of rye directly depends on its variety and place of cultivation. The grains of this plant are rich in starch, vitamins and high-molecular carbohydrates. They are considered to be a dietary food product.
The calorie content of rye grains per 100 g is 338 kcal, of which:
- Proteins - 10, 3 g;
- Fat - 1, 6 g;
- Carbohydrates - 75, 9 g;
- Dietary fiber - 15.1 g;
- Water - 10.6 g.
Vitamins per 100 g:
- Vitamin A, beta-carotene - 7 mcg;
- Vitamin B1, thiamine - 0.316 mg;
- Vitamin B2, riboflavin - 0.251 mg;
- Vitamin B3, niacin - 4.27 mg;
- Vitamin B5, pantothenic acid - 1.456 mg;
- Vitamin B6, pyridoxine - 0.294 mg;
- Vitamin B9, folate - 38 mcg;
- Vitamin E, tocopherol - 0.85 mg;
- Vitamin K, phylloquinone - 5.9 mcg;
- Vitamin B4, choline - 30.4 mg.
Macronutrients per 100 g:
- Potassium - 510 mg;
- Calcium - 24 mg;
- Magnesium - 110 mg;
- Sodium - 2 mg;
- Phosphorus - 332 mg
Microelements per 100 g:
- Iron - 2.63 mg;
- Manganese - 2.577 mg;
- Copper - 367 mcg;
- Zinc - 2.65 mg;
- Selenium - 13.9 mcg
On a note! Food made from rye grains was very popular in the early stages of human development. Thanks to this unrefined, pure and nutritious product, our ancestors were able to maintain performance, energy and health.
Useful properties of rye grains
In traditional and folk medicine, the benefits of rye for human health are appreciated. Grain is used as a medicine to fight many diseases: anemia, tuberculosis, thyroid ailments and more. It is also used to strengthen the body in the postoperative period.
Useful properties of rye:
- Eliminates constipation … Rye bread is considered a mild laxative in folk medicine that can help even with chronic problems with emptying.
- Relieves diarrhea … To get the fixing effect of the cereal, it is necessary to boil the rye bran and take them inside.
- Softens phlegm … Rye is considered an excellent expectorant for bronchitis.
- Promotes the rapid elimination of boils and carbuncles … The pulp of rye bread, soaked in milk, is used as a poultice, softening skin tumors and abscesses, promoting their rapid ripening.
- Reduces pain attacks with sciatica … Rye compresses are applied to the places where the pain is felt most strongly.
- Strengthens the immune system, tones and improves the digestive tract … Rye kvass contains a lot of B vitamins and other nutrients that help food to be quickly absorbed and saturate the body with useful microelements.
- Slows down the aging process … Rye grains contain a large amount of vitamin A, which has an antioxidant effect on the body.
- Optimizes the work of the circulatory system … Favorably affects the work of the cardiovascular system, participates in hematopoiesis.
- Prevents the development of breast cancer … Many scientific studies have shown that women who eat rye are less likely to develop breast cancer.
- Strengthens bones, teeth and nails … Due to the high calcium content, rye is able to significantly strengthen the inert tissue.
- Promotes Weight Loss … Despite the low calorie content of rye, its grains contain fibers that can quickly saturate the human body and satisfy the feeling of hunger.
- Prevents the appearance of gallstones … A long-term study has shown that people who regularly eat rye are much less likely to suffer from gallstone disease.
- Fights diabetes … Grains are rich in magnesium, this substance activates many enzymes in the human body, which leads to a decrease in the body's need for insulin. Rye can be used not only as a medicine for diabetes, but also as a preventive measure against this disease.
- Cleanses the body … Dietary fiber of rye, entering the digestive tract, absorbs toxins and cholesterol that are in the human body and removes them outside.
Interesting! Modern leading countries in the production of rye: Germany, Poland and Russia.
Contraindications and harm to rye
In most cases, the harm of rye to human health is caused by its individual intolerance to the constituent components of the cereal. Rye products for this category of consumers can cause rashes, runny nose and other health problems.
Also, sprouted grains and rye flour in any form are not recommended for people with aggravated peptic ulcer disease or gastritis. Consumers who consume excessive amounts of sprouted rye are at risk of stomach upset.
Note! The daily norm of cereals for a person is 200 g.
Rye grains are often contaminated with a poisonous fungus, ergot. A parasite that has entered the human body can cause severe poisoning. Therefore, rye should be germinated strictly according to well-known technologies, and ready-made cereals should be bought only in trusted stores.
How is rye eaten?
The product is eaten whole or crumbled. Rye flour is used to bake bread and pastries. Raw foodists sprout rye and introduce it raw into the diet.
To prepare grains for a raw food diet, it is necessary to select only whole rye, without damage or impurities. Then the grains should be thoroughly washed, placed in a jar and soaked in a small amount of liquid for 2 hours (the water should only slightly cover the product). The neck of the jar should be tied with gauze.
After the specified time, drain the water from the jar through cheesecloth and shake the vessel so that the grains stick to its walls. Place the jar on its side in an empty bowl. The vessel should be in this position all the time until the grains germinate. They should be removed from the jar each day and rinsed thoroughly several times. If this is not done, rye can become infected with mold.
It is recommended to eat grains, the sprouts of which have reached a length of 5-6 cm. They taste like vegetables, so they can be safely added to vitamin salads.
How to prepare rye for baking? To get flour at home, follow a simple procedure:
- Grind whole rye in a coffee grinder.
- Spread the resulting mass in a thin layer on thick paper. It is not recommended to use a newspaper for these purposes - printing ink, toxic to the body, can be absorbed into the product.
- Dry flour on paper in a well-ventilated area. Stir the rye occasionally.
- Collect the flour in a paper or cloth container when it turns beige and white and does not stick to your hands.
Before use, it is recommended to sift such flour with a sieve to break up lumps that may appear in it due to contact with dampness.
There are other recipes for rye, or rather rye flour. For grinding, you can use not only whole grains, but also its core or shell. The flour preparation technology remains the same.
Rye recipes
Anyone can cook dishes with rye at home, for this you do not need to have special culinary skills. We present to your attention 3 simple rye grain dishes:
- Skans are the prototype of the flatbread that the ancients used instead of plates.… Mix 300 g rye flour and 100 g softened butter. Add 300 g of fat sour cream to the resulting mixture. A homemade product is always better, but store-bought sour cream will work as well. Beat 2 eggs into the almost finished dough and season with a pinch of salt. Knead the dough, do not spare the flour, it should turn out to be very steep. Then divide it into pieces of the desired size (be guided by your own preferences) and roll it into cakes. Fry the workpieces in a hot pan, with a little sunflower oil. Scans can be served even with a filling, for example, with rice porridge.
- Diet cakes to replace bread … Grind 3 cups of sprouted grains in a meat grinder or blender. Dilute the mass with water (purified or boiled). The consistency of the dough should be like a pancake. Add 2 tbsp to it. l. rye flour and 7 g of salt. It is better to bake cakes in a dry non-stick pan.
- Rye porridge … We wash 100 g of crushed rye groats several times until the water becomes clear. Cook cereals in 200 ml of water over high heat. After a few minutes, pour 300 ml of milk into the heated mixture, sugar and salt to taste. After boiling, cook the porridge over low heat until cooked, as a rule, it takes no more than half an hour. You can add butter or olive oil to the finished dish. Bon Appetit!
Rye Recipes
Rye drinks enrich the body with nutrients, tone up and even take care of heart health. To prepare such a potion, you will need a minimum of ingredients and free time.
Two simple recipes for drinks using rye grains:
- Balm for the heart … Grind 0.5 cups of sprouted grains and dilute in 0.5 cups of milk. Then the mixture must be brought to a boil and add 1 tbsp. l. honey. It is recommended to take such a drink every day for 2-3 tbsp. l. during breakfast.
- Kvass … Cut 200 g of rye bread into squares or slices. Dry in the oven to a crisp state. Further, be guided by the weight of the obtained crackers - for 100 g of dried bread, you will need 2 liters of boiled water. Pour boiling water over the croutons and leave them to infuse for 6 hours. Then add sugar (50 g / 1 l of water) and dry yeast (2 g / 1 l of water) to the mixture. Leave the kvass to ripen in a dry, dark place. After two days, the drink will be ready to drink.
Interesting facts about the culture of rye
Science knows almost everything about the usefulness of rye and only a few vague facts about its origin. Scientists cannot come to a consensus on which land the grains of this cereal were first discovered on and whether it was ever a wild crop.
Some experts are inclined to believe that many years ago, researchers who traveled around the world domesticated a wild-growing cereal from Turkestan. Indeed, after mowing, he begins to release new shoots, which subsequently do not bring such a yield as the first shoots. This proves that rye can come from a perennial plant.
Other researchers deny the truth of the described version. They believe that rye has never grown wild and that the true facts about its origin are hidden deep in the history of mankind.
In agriculture, winter rye is used as an effective remedy for weeds and as a green fertilizer, which enriches the soil with nitrogen and improves its structure.
100 years ago in Russia, various variations of this culture were most in demand. Such grain is more resistant to bad weather, wind and pests even without special processing. People ate rye cakes and bread every day, and wheat baked goods appeared on the tables of ordinary people only on holidays.
This is the only cereal that has found a worthy use in art. Ivan Shishkin once painted a picture called "Rye". This work made a positive impression on many critics and became one of the most famous paintings of the painter.
Watch a video about rye:
Rye is a valuable cereal for human health. It should be included in the diet for everyone who wants to protect themselves from the development of neoplastic diseases, weight gain and heart problems. Cooking rye in the home kitchen will not take much of the housewives' time.
