Rye bread and lactobacilli have both recently been looked upon as favourable alternatives to laxatives. Both rye bread and the lactobacilli modify the colonic environment and have the potential to relieve constipation according to research from the University of Helsinki. As they are both safe and convenient and much cheaper than laxatives it is welcome news.
Chronic constipation affects up to 27% of the population of Western countries. Symptoms of constipation, such as infrequent bowel movements, hard stools, straining, cramps, abdominal bloating, flatulence, and sometimes severe abdominal pain, may affect patients’ overall quality of life. Slow colonic transit has also been connected to the development of colon cancer. In the Helsinki study, the effects of rye bread and cultured buttermilk with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) on bowel function and colonic metabolism were investigated and compared with laxatives in 51 constipated adults.
The conclusions of the very detailed and well controlled tests was that bowel function was significantly improved by rye bread consumption. Rye bread consumption increased the number of bowel movements compared with wheat bread after 3 weeks of the trial. The lactobacillus was not quite so effecive as the Rye bread, but the two together had good results too.
The result that constipation is alleviated by rye bread consumption is supported by the results of previous investigations too. In other trials rye bread had positive effects on bowel function in healthy as well as in constipated adults. It is thought that it is the fibre in the rye bread that makes all the difference. This may sound obvious to us but now it has been proved, that rye bread relieves mild constipation and improves colonic metabolism compared with white wheat bread and commonly used laxatives without increasing gastrointestinal adverse effects. (Holma et al. Journal of Nutrition, online 20/01/10; doi: 10.3945/jn.109.11857). No surprise there then 
