Rye, also known as Dry cerealIt is an annual plant that in its appearance is very similar to wheat, but has different characteristics, even though it is a member of its own family and also has a close relationship with barley.
Characteristics of rye
You will have heard repeatedly about this type of grain, since it is used in the same way as wheat, in oats and barley for the production of flour, in relation to food, as well as in the world of alcoholic beverages, such as whiskey and vodka, among many others.
According to food connoisseurs, rye has very healthy characteristics for our body and it does not contain an amount of gluten as important as its relatives, with which flour is also produced, but even though its content is lower, it should not be consumed by people who do not have tolerance to it, the case of those who have celiac disease.
But for those who do not have levels of intolerance to wheat, oats, the barley and precisely the rye, this can represent a healthy food and in fact provide some benefits, such as improving the digestion process and giving rise to a bowel movement, something that can be very beneficial for people with both constipation and diarrhea, working in both cases as a regulator.
While its grain is ground to produce flours that will be used for baking and making other types of products, it is also used in a virgin way, to accompany stews, salads and rice dishes among other types of meals.
A legend of the field tells that if the Dry cereal It does not germinate during dawn, it would never reach its point of maturity, so many farmers decided to conceive their children during this time of day to prevent them from aging, without a doubt a funny country myth.
What is the Dry cereal?
When we talk about Dry cereal we refer to an annual monocotyledonous plant that is part of the grass family and it has a thin and flexible stem, which can reach a height of between one and two meters. In its morphology it is very similar to wheat, that is, it has narrow and flat leaves and a long and compressed spike. Its grains, which have an oblong shape with very marked tips, are easily detached.
This plant has a system very similar to that of wheat, that is to say, a fasciculate root system, with greater development than that of its relative. It also has similarities with barley in that the spikelets are all attached directly to the rachis without any type of peduncle that is responsible for this union.
Its glumes are elongated in the lower part, and acute in the upper area, while the glumlets are hairy on the underside, prologue in a long face. Each of the spikes produces up to three flowers, thus having to abort one and its spike appears long and thin.
Regarding your measurements, this plant measures on average between 110 and 160 centimeters high, generating an inflorescence between 20 and 30 centimeters approximately. Its leaves are between 5 and 10 millimeters wide and the spikes, regardless of their edges, measure between 6 and 15 millimeters. Its lower glume has a measurement of 7 to 15 millimeters, with an edge that can be between 2 to 5,5 centimeters.
The rye plant has a greater resistance to areas where the climate is cold than wheat, which is why it is one of the most used grains in mountainous areas, high places and closer to the poles, obtaining from the generation of flour with its grains breads with darker tones than with wheat, more fibrous and that hardens from slower way.
History
According to different historical archives, the cultivation of rye began in Germany, about 4 centuries before Christ, to later be extended east to the area of southern Europe. This appeared as an alternative to the common wheat crop in times of the Roman Empire, but it was the Teutonic invaders who used rye before the Romans in the production of bread and therefore who introduced it there.
Since then, far back in time, to the present, rye is used to make slightly more rustic flours and less refined than those of wheat and barley, but with greater healthy characteristics, also using the seed independently, as an important part of the diet considered naturist.
Properties and benefits of rye
The fruit of the plant dry cereal It has many properties and benefits for the proper functioning of our body. Rye is a great ally for those at higher risk of suffering from any type of cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure, so it is highly recommended for women who are entering menopause and therefore are more prone to these conditions.
It is very beneficial to avoid the obstruction of the blood vessels, in addition to contributing to the prevention of arteriosclerosis. Being an important source of fibers that are impregnated in the toxins of the intestine to contribute to their elimination, rye is very important for the prevention of colon cancer.
In the case of suffering from diabetes or, if not, preventing this disease of hyperglycemia, rye is also very beneficial. It is a great complement to maintain blood glucose levels controlled because some of its components are sugar regulators.
By helping us eliminate toxins from our body through fibers, Secale Cereale and its seeds are also highly indicated in different types of diets prescribed by nutrition professionals, especially in those that are specifically dedicated to losing weight.
Rye bread is one of the main tools to avoid constipation, also due to its high fiber content. Doctors in these cases will recommend taking portions of bread from this grain accompanied with honey. People who play sports will also find an ally in rye, since it contains linoleic acid, which cleans arteries, veins, blood vessels and toxins.