Why Your Diet Needs Adequate Levels Of Chromium

Why Your Diet Needs Adequate Chromium Levels.

Chromium –not only do most people not receive enough through their diet, most aren’t even vaguely familiar with chromium and its benefits. It’s estimated that as little as 5% of the population has sufficient levels of chromium. That leaves 95% who could be deficient. Chromium is a mineral found only in trace amounts within the body, but plays a significant role in maintaining health.

The recommended daily dosage through diet is 200 micrograms. Because of the effects of modern farming and food processing, in order to get that from your diet today, you would need to eat a diet that had at least 12,000 calories – yes a day. Well you know what would happen if you ate that many calories, so getting enough chromium through your diet alone is no longer a viable option.

That means you should take a chromium supplement. To get the maximum benefits you need to choose liquid chromium. Liquid ionic minerals are water based which means your absorption is nearly 100% where as compound and even chelated chromium (pill form) will be less than 25%.

If you’re thinking you’ll live without out it. Think again! Chromium controls insulin and normalizes your blood sugar levels making it important in the fight against diabetes. It lowers bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and raises good cholesterol levels (HDL); it reduces heart disease, lowers blood pressure, and improves your immune system, to name but a few.

If that’s not enough, it even boosts the DHEA levels in your body. DHEA is dehydroepiandrosterone, and it’s well documented that it has excellent anti-aging qualities and plays an important role in longevity. Now who doesn’t want to age more gracefully? And who would have thought it could be so easy?

It seems that chromium is also directly involved in carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism. There has been some basic research but there is a need for more in-depth research to discover the full extent of chromium on the metabolic action. Never the less, it certainly has been proven to have a role.

What foods have chromium? Almost all foods have minute amounts that are 2 mcg or less. Whole grains, meats, fruits, and vegetables are all generally good sources of chromium. Foods that are high in simple sugars are very low in chromium and should be avoided not just because of the lack of chromium but because they simply aren’t healthy and can reduce overall mineral levels!

It’s actually very difficult to determine the exact amount of chromium in food because the soil, the agriculture process, and the manufacturing process all affect the amount of chromium found in food. Therefore use this only as a guide:

   Grape Juice – 1 cup – 8 mcg

   Broccoli – ½ cup – 11 mcg

   Potatoes – 1 cup 4 mcg

   Beef – 3 ounces – 2 mcg

   Orange juice – 1 cup – 2 mcg

   Whole wheat bread – 2 slices – 2 mcg

   Banana – 1 – 1 mcg

   Apple – 1 medium – 1 mcg

   Green beans – ½ cup – 1 mcg

Even eating right you are going to come up short of the RDA so add that liquid chromium supplement and make sure you get the necessary levels of chromium so that you can enjoy the benefits it can offer.

What happens if you do not have enough chromium intake? The signs of deficiency can include weight loss, signs of diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, and neuropathy, which almost always disappear when chromium levels are increased.

Today’s population is extremely busy, and many times we don’t get a chance to eat properly eating on the run. It’s tough to get the needed nutrients day after day. Chromium isn’t the only mineral that we find ourselves deficient in, although it is one of the most important ones. The solution is to simply take a liquid chromium supplement each day. Then you can stop worrying!