Difference Between Rye Bread and Pumpernickel Bread

Last Updated : Sep 6, 2022 / By Sandeep Bhandari / Fact Checked / 3 mins

Rye bread either appears light, dark or mixed colours of light and dark. The flour used for making rye bread is endosperm ground flour. Regular rye bread is comparatively less dark and less flavoured than pumpernickel bread.

Pumpernickel bread appears dark. The flour used for making pumpernickel bread is whole berry ground flour. Pumpernickel bread is strongly flavoured.

Comparison Table Between Rye Bread and Pumpernickel Bread

Parameters of Comparison	Rye Bread	Pumpernickel Bread
Appearance	Light, dark, mixed	Dark
Flour used	Endosperm ground flour	Whole berry ground flour
Texture of Flour	Smooth or not coarse	ground coarsely
Flavour	Less flavoured	Strongly flavoured
Sweetness	Less sweetened	More sweetened

What is Rye Bread?

There are three types or forms of rye bread. They are dark rye bread, light rye bread and marbled rye bread. When the rye berry’s central endosperm is being ground and mixed with the white rye flour, then light rye bread is prepared.

Dark rye bread is prepared either by colouring the flour by adding molasses and cocoa powder. Or a darker version of rye flour is used to prepare the bread. The flour contains colouring pigments and ground coarsely.

What is Pumpernickel Bread?

Pumpernickel bread is prepared or formed from flour that is called pumpernickel flour itself. The flour is generally made from rye berries when ground coarsely. In specific customised recipes, the crumbs of other breeds are also added into the dough of the making of the pumpernickel bread.

Over two hours, the pumpernickel bread is steam baked in low heat. Therefore, due to the melting of the natural sugar present in the pumpernickel bread, the bread becomes darker and sweet. 

Pumpernickel bread can not be made quickly. This bread is formed from dark rye flour, which is ground coarsely, and the pieces of the cracked rye are larger.

Main Differences Between Rye Bread and Pumpernickel Bread

1. Regular rye bread is comparatively less dark and less flavoured than pumpernickel bread. On the other hand, pumpernickel bread is strongly flavoured.
2. Rye bread is less sweetened. Whereas pumpernickel bread is more sweetened as it is baked slowly for a long time over low heat.

Conclusion

Although, it is very difficult to cut down the carbohydrates and starch fully from the diet. But inculcating healthier options is a good choice. At least counting on rye bread and Pumpernickel bread is better than counting on white bread.

Out of all the pumpernickel bread available, german Pumpernickel bread is coarse and a bit sweet. Rye bread is made when cracked rye grains are soaked in water overnight with some amount of whole-grain flour.

These bread are one of the best and healthier options of bread available in the market. These bread are even loaded with amazing health benefits. Pumpernickel bread is prepared from a hundred per cent of rye flour. And it is a type of rye bread.

References

1. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jafc.9b06220
2. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=eZjIfud742wC&oi=fnd&pg=PA159&dq=rye+bread+Pumpernickel+bread&ots=QSWvyprpAF&sig=p70tWg0Z6vRmVLjuxyZb03p7Nd8