Chromium and I first met when my husband, Adam needed a little extra support managing his blood sugar. As an amateur boxer, he can sometimes train up to 3 times a day and whilst his stamina during training appeared to be amazing (so he tells me - haha!!) and his diet was being nicely 'managed' (controlled by his nagging wife), he was still experiencing sudden dips in energy, mainly around late morning and late afternoon. Old age perhaps? Ha!! No, it was more than that. It was blood sugar regulation - or lack there of. No need to panic! BUT it was something I wanted to sort out, as insulin resistance in the long term could be far more serious.
After a bit of trial and error looking at Iron and B vitamins - it was actually Chromium who put its hand up as one of two missing links (the other being Chromium's inorganic buddy, Nitrate). Fused together in a shot of beetroot juice, Chromium and Nitrate set out to help Adam regulate his blood sugar and deliver more blood and oxygen to his muscles. This in turn would also reduce the cost of energy output during strenuous and repetitive motion inside the boxing ring.
Hmmmm - Nitrate may need a blog all to itself, so for now, lets just stick to Chromium. Chromium acts as a water soluble compound which enables insulin to maintain adequate blood sugar levels. This is also known as Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF); a transportation vehicle for insulin, enabling it to glide across the cell membrane. We don't need much Chromium in the body but without it, it becomes harder for glucose to be transported to the cells.
Chromium deficiency can lead to detrimental health conditions such as Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, Anxiety, Depression, wound healing difficulties and an increased risk of Heart Disease. Lets be very clear here, not everyone with these conditions are Chromium deficient but WOW - for 35 mcg per day, lets invite Chromium to the party!!
So..... How did I increase Adam's dietary Chromium? A shot of homemade beetroot juice in the morning after training is the simple answer. This little shot of purple goodness provides him with 57% of his daily intake in one small glass (or in one large mouthful in his case!!) Oooh and....purple skin and flesh means high in Vitamin C too - so boom!
As for the rest, I increased his consumption of oily fish such as Salmon, Tuna, Mackerel and Sardines (also high in anti-inflammatory, Essential Fatty Acids - yay!!!!). 100 grams of oily fish can provide 260% of our daily Chromium intake requirements per 100 gram serving. But maybe you are not a fish or a beetroot lover? In that case maybe consider increasing your consumption of leafy green, cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, spinach, brussels sprouts), green beans, eggs, beef liver, lean pork, hazelnuts and asparagus - as well as the occasional prune.
Increasing the dietary intake of Chromium has the potential to reduce the risk of Diabetes, High Cholesterol and Heart Disease and increase the chances of successful weight loss (as Trace Minerals keep the body feeling satisfied for longer). Chromium can also encourage a healthy appetite in the elderly, keep acne at bay in teenagers, assist nutrient absorption in the gut and protect bones during Menopause by retaining Calcium. It even loves to protect the Liver!
Long story short, Adam no longer feels the energy lapses throughout the day..... and he just won his 3rd ever fight (3 from 3) on the weekend. Not saying that's all thanks to Chromium - but hey! It certainly hasn't done him any harm. I wish I could say the same for Boxing. Boxing needs to be more like Chromium!! LOL!!
Adam's Beetroot Shot:
3 x organic beetroots, 1 x small piece of ginger, baby spinach, berries, 1 x kiwi and 1 x carrot. Then add filtered water and blitz with the NutriBullet. Whole food, done simply.
Have the best Tuesday possible, folks!!
Much Love,
Perri. Xx
PS: Oops, I almost forgot! If you are like Adam and training multiple times a day, make sure you are eating regularly. Adam eats six small meals a day. All meals are jam-packed full of macro's, micro's and dense nutrients. One of course being, Chromium! Also make sure you stay hydrated and by hydrated I mean, drink loads of filtered water.
Please note: Perri's blog post relates to dietary Chromium and not Chromium supplementation. Chromium supplementation should be taken under the advise and care of a Medical Doctor, Nutritionist or Naturopath to avoid toxicity and interactions with medications.
