The Paleo List Answers:IS RYE PALEO?

If you grew up eating marbled rye, or if you’re simply looking for healthy alternatives to regular sandwich bread, you might be thinking of giving rye a chance.

What is Rye?

Rye is a cereal grain similar to wheat. It is closely related to both barley and wheat, and can thrive in poor growing conditions. It is often used to make alcohol, such as rye whiskey, and can be made into crackers or crisps, vodka, bread, and flour. It is sometimes eaten whole, much like wheat berries or oatmeal. It had been cultivated since the Middle Ages.

Is Rye Paleo?

According to several studies, whole grain rye is healthier than whole grain wheat, but that doesn’t make it Paleo. Rye is still a grain, and it contains gluten, as well as high levels of carbohydrates per serving. Again, much like some other grains, it might be slightly less bad than wheat, but not by much. Due to the shape of rye, it is more difficult to remove the bran from the germ and endosperm, so it is more difficult to get highly processed “white” rye, which is a slight benefit to this grain. However, rye is still not Paleo, and contains not only gluten, but also lectins and phytates.

Are you struggling with which foods are Paleo?  Do you need help planning some Paleo meals?  Check out this great Paleo cookbook: