Who doesn’t want to eat healthy for a fitter body and overall well-being? However, many people are very set in their ways of eating and cannot change their habits. For instance, if you like to eat bread for breakfast, it becomes a task to switch over to anything else that is healthier. And so, it is better to tweak some ingredients in your favourite foods so that you can continue to eat them rather than changing them completely. According to a recent study, eating this one type of bread has been reportedly highlighted as being perfect to eat to both help people lose weight and lower cholesterol. The study, conducted in Spain, suggested that people in the country eat an average of 27.35 kilos of bread per year. Statistics from the 2023 Food Consumption Report, published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, were highlighted on the Cope website. And so, changing the main ingredient from processed flour to rye – packed with fibre and antioxidants—can be extremely beneficial for those looking to not just lose weight, but also regulate their digestive system and gut health. This bread, according to experts, can also reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

How does rye bread reduce the risk of colorectal cancer? Rye bread stands out for its low-fat content, which is just 3.3 grams per 100 grams of product, making it helpful for those looking to lose weight or reduce calorie intake. Additionally, its fibre helps us feel fuller and improves digestion. It also helps eliminate ‘bad’ cholesterol, known as LDL cholesterol, thus preventing cardiovascular problems by keeping arteries clean. However, being rich in antioxidants like flavonoids, which can keep tumours from growing, rye works as a great cancer-prevention food too. A human study linked rye bread intake to lower markers of inflammation like interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). According to experts, fibre in rye also helps reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by diluting colonic contents due to increased fecal output, accelerating intestinal transit, increasing fecal frequency, and altering bacterial metabolism. Also, rye sourdough – which is used in baking rye bread, is found in abundance in lactic acid bacteria which not only ferments the dough but also alters rye's bioactive compounds. They produce branched-chain amino acids and small peptides, which influence insulin metabolism and other bodily functions. Other health benefits of eating rye bread A few other benefits of adding rye bread to your daily routine include: Regulates heart health Adding rye bread to your diet can help improve several aspects of your heart health as studies say its intake lowers levels of heart disease risk factors. An 8-week study of 40 people compared the effects of eating 20 per cent of their daily calories from either rye or white wheat bread on blood cholesterol levels. Experts say rye bread is more effective at lowering cholesterol levels in men than white wheat bread and reduces total and bad cholesterol by up to 14 per cent. Controls blood sugar levels It is important to control blood sugar levels, especially in those with type 2 diabetes and those who cannot produce enough insulin - a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Rye bread has several qualities that can aid blood sugar control due to its high soluble fibre, which helps slow the digestion and absorption of carbs and sugar through the digestive tract. It is also loaded with phenolic compounds like ferulic acid and caffeic acid, which slow the release of sugar and insulin into the bloodstream.