Chromium: Control Your Cravings Naturally
Chromium is a trace mineral considered to be essential to the human diet. It occurs naturally in apples, beets, bran, brewer’s yeast, buckwheat, corn, tomatoes, and wheat germ, to name a few common sources. Severe deficiency can lead to glucose intolerance and even nerve damage. Chromium is necessary for the body’s production of insulin, and this relationship affects the body in myriad ways. One of these is stabilizing glucose (also known as blood sugar) levels in the blood.
Blood sugar levels are one of the factors that affect appetite directly. Specifically, plummeting glucose can exacerbate cravings for carbohydrates, like grain and sugar. For many people, carbohydrate cravings are translated into a desire for junk food.
These cravings cause a vicious cycle: eating junk food causes blood glucose to elevate too much, and too quickly, and the body reacts by releasing more insulin, which in turn causes blood glucose to plummet again, inciting more cravings.
Modern diets may be deficient in chromium for many, and supplementing with chromium may help keep blood sugar stable, which reduces cravings, and helps break the junk food cycle. Chromium supplements, available in several forms, are inexpensive and widely available.