My diet:

Rye flour

No E-numberFlour treatment agentsOrigin: Plant
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Pick your family’s diets in the bar above.

Every diet

VeganYes

Rye flour is a grain.

Gluten-freeNo

Rye contains gluten.

HalalYes
KosherYes
KetoNo

Rye flour is a grain flour.

Low-FODMAPNo

Rye is high in fructans.

The short answer
Rye flour is ground rye. Rye flour fails a gluten-free diet, a keto diet and a low-FODMAP diet. It is vegan. Traditional rye breads get their tang from a long ferment, not from the flour being a different species of wheat.
Generally safe

Fine for most people at normal amounts.

E-numberNone
Comes fromPlant
What it doesFlour treatment agents
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledRye flour, Dark rye flour

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDANot evaluated as an additive
🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive
🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive
CaliforniaNo extra rules

Rye flour is a food, not an E-number. It is a gluten grain, in the same family as wheat and barley. A dark color does not make it safe for celiac disease.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

The berry is milled whole or sifted. Pumpernickel flour is very coarsely crushed rye. A sourdough prefers rye because the flour holds water and feeds the culture.

Where it comes from: Rye flour is ground rye. Dark rye keeps more bran. Light rye is sifted. Rye has gluten, but the gluten is weaker than wheat's, which is why rye breads are dense unless wheat is mixed in.

Why it’s in food

  • Feeds a sourdough
  • Darkens a loaf
  • Makes crispbread
  • Thickens a Scandinavian bread

Often found in

Rye breadPumpernickelCrispbreadSourdough startersSome whiskies that are not the flourCrackers

Also listed as: Rye flour, Dark rye flour, Light rye flour, Pumpernickel flour

Health & gut impact

GlutenConcern

Rye gluten is a different protein mix from wheat gluten, and it still harms a person with celiac disease. Light rye is not a workaround.

Celiac disease and rye

FructansConcern

Rye is high in fructans. A low-FODMAP diet excludes rye bread and rye flour during elimination.

Monash FODMAP classification of rye

What can I use instead?

Wheat flour

Ratio: A stronger gluten when the loaf needs to rise

Best for: Sandwich bread

Spelt flour

Ratio: Another gluten grain with a different flavor

Best for: Rustic loaves

Related

More flour treatment agents:

Almond flourAlmond flour is ground almonds. Almond flour is vegan, and the nut itself contains no gluten. It is one of the few baking flours that fits a keto pattern. Large servings are high FODMAP because almonds are.Generally safeAlpha-amylaseAlpha-amylase is the enzyme that clips starch so bread can rise and brown. Baked goods often list it only as enzymes. Fungal amylase is gluten-free. Amylase from barley malt is not.Generally safeAzodicarbonamide (ADA) E927aAzodicarbonamide (ADA, E927a) is a dough conditioner that's banned in the EU but still legal in US bread. Baking turns some of it into semicarbazide, a possible carcinogen, so it's one to avoid.Best to avoidBarleyBarley is a gluten grain with a low glycemic index when it is eaten as the whole or pearled berry. The barley berry fails a gluten-free diet, a keto diet and a low-FODMAP diet. It is vegan. Sprouted barley is the start of malt, which is a different ingredient line.Generally safe

Common questions

Is dark rye flour gluten-free?

No. The bran color has nothing to do with gluten. Rye is a gluten grain.

Why does rye bread use a sourdough?

Rye holds water and the acids from a long ferment keep the crumb from turning gummy.

Is Rye flour safe?

Generally safe (86/100). Rye flour is a food, not an E-number. It is a gluten grain, in the same family as wheat and barley. A dark color does not make it safe for celiac disease.

Is Rye flour vegan?

Yes. Rye flour is a grain.

Is Rye flour gluten-free?

No. Rye contains gluten.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • Celiac disease and rye
  • Monash FODMAP classification of rye