Rye bread: how many calories?

Rye bread carries 259 calories per 100 grams; a typical portion (30 g) comes to 78 calories. The tables below give the same figure in cups, spoons and slices.

100 g259kcal
  • Protein8.5 g
  • Carbs48.0 g
  • Fat3.3 g
  • Fibre5.8 g
1 portion · 30 g78kcal
  • Protein2.5 g
  • Carbs14.4 g
  • Fat1.0 g
  • Fibre1.7 g

Where do the calories come from?

  • Protein 13%
  • Carbs 75%
  • Fat 12%

The shares are calculated from the calorie value of the macros: protein and carbohydrate are 4 calories per gram, fat is 9. Fibre is counted inside the carbohydrate and there is no alcohol in this list, which is why the three shares always add up to one hundred percent.

What do these numbers mean on the plate?

Rye bread carries 2.6 calories per gram: 39 grams are enough for 100 calories. This is the band of cheese and desserts — the smaller the portion, the more the eye is fooled, because a small amount looks like few calories.

A typical portion is 30 g. Because tables are written per 100 grams, counting the portion as 100 grams too is a common mistake; for Rye bread that means overstating the calories by 233%.

In calories, one portion (30 g · 78 kcal) comes to: 29 g White cheese (feta type). White cheese (feta type) page

One portion every day adds up to 28,361 calories a year — roughly a 3.7 kg difference. This is a linear estimate and an upper bound: as weight changes, daily needs change with it. Build your own timeline

With bread, slice thickness decides the calories. Toasting drives off water: the slice gets lighter, but the calories per gram go up.

Household measure equivalents

MeasureGramCaloriesProtein
1 slice30 g78 kcal2.5 g

A cup measures 200 millilitres, not 200 grams; the grams in the table therefore come from the food's own bulk density rather than from volume. Packing the cup down or chopping more finely shifts the figure by 10-20%. Convert your own measure

How much of the daily reference intake?

NutrientDaily reference100 g1 portion · 30 g
Calories2,000 kcal13%4%
Fat70 g5%1%
Carbs260 g18%6%
Protein50 g17%5%
Fibre25 g23%7%

The reference values are the figures EU Regulation 1169/2011 gives for an average adult — the %RI column on labels rests on the same numbers. They are not a personal target; the fibre row is not in the regulation, the 25 grams there is EFSA's adequate intake for adults. Work out your own calorie needs

Where does it sit within its group?

It is number 2 of the 5 foods in the Bread and breakfast cereal group by calories per 100 grams. The group averages 303 kcal; Rye bread is 15% below that average.

Lighter options at the same 30 grams

FoodCaloriesDifferenceProtein
Wholemeal breadGood swap74 kcal−4 kcal3.9 g

The “good swap” mark only appears when an option lowers the calories without also lowering protein and fibre per 100 calories. Unmarked rows save calories but give up nutrient density. Try it with your own portion

How long does it take to burn one portion (30 g)?

  • Walking — brisk (5.6 km/h)19 min
  • Running — 8 km/h (7:30 min/km)9 min
  • Cycling — 16-19 km/h11 min

The maths assumes 70 kg and is NET rather than gross: the resting calories that would burn without any exercise are not counted, because they do not pay for this portion. The heavier you are, the shorter the times. Calculate with your own weight

Foods with similar calories

Which claims could its label carry?

EU Regulation 1924/2006 ties every label claim to a numeric threshold. Rye bread meets 2 of them:

  • Protein source13% of its calories come from protein · threshold: at least 12%
  • Source of fibre100 g → 5.8 g fibre · threshold: at least 3.0 g

The thresholds apply to a product's OWN analysis; the values here come from average composition tables. So this list is not an authorisation, only an estimate of which side of the threshold a product sits on. For drinks the energy and fat thresholds are per 100 millilitres and lower. Interpret your own label

Apply these numbers to your own portion

The values are averages taken from standard composition tables; a 10-15% difference between two products with the same name is normal, and the cooking method can double that gap. This page is for information and is not medical advice.