chromium

Foods Richest in chromium

Nutrient Amount DV% Rating
Broccoli 18.55 53% Excellent
Barley 8.16 23% Good
Oats 5.38 15% Good
Green Beans 2.04 6% Good
Tomatoes 1.26 4% Good
Romaine Lettuce 1.25 4% Good
Black Pepper 0.93 3% Good

About chromium

Basic description

The food rating chart above might suggest chromium is largely absent from the food supply. That conclusion would be incorrect. Chromium is provided by every food group—including vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts/seeds, seafood, meats and dairy—so it is definitely not a missing mineral in our foods. However, chromium is present in many foods in very small amounts (1-2 micrograms or less). In fact, our rating system only calculated one excellent source of chromium. Chromium is best obtained through a varied, whole-food diet rather than from any single food source. It’s also important to note that the chromium content of food has been inadequately measured by food scientists. Research journals typically show less than 10 total measurements for chromium in any particular food, and many of these measurements show little consistency. As a result, we know that many foods contain small amounts of chromium, but we are still not sure about exact amounts or how amounts might vary under different circumstances. Once again, these factors shift the focus onto an overall healthy diet when evaluating intake of chromium.

Foods rich in chromium, specifically brewer’s yeast, have been used to help balance blood sugar since the time of the Civil War. In the 1950s, researchers discovered the role of chromium in blood sugar control, a role we describe below in the Role in Health Support section.

Among the foods where the chromium content is noted, we have broccoli listed as an excellent source. We also list six foods as good sources. These foods are barley, oats, green beans, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and black pepper.

Although the exact chromium content of many foods remains unquantified, a dietary pattern centered on minimally processed, plant-rich meals with liberal spice use is expected to ensure consistent chromium intake.

Role in health support

Blood sugar control

A key role for chromium in the body is related to control of blood sugar. There is a signal molecule called low-molecular weight chromium binding substance (LMWCr) involved in blood sugar control. (You may also hear this molecule being referred to as chromodulin.) Although it has a long name, LMWCr it is a tiny molecule, built from just a few amino acids.

LMWCr binds adjacent to the insulin receptor on the cell surface, amplifying insulin’s signaling cascade and accelerating glucose uptake after a meal. (LMWCr is a precisely defined oligopeptide with a specific metabolic function. Prior to discovery of LMWCr, a much less clearly defined molecule called glucose tolerance factor, or GTF, had been the subject of much interest in nutrition and was typically thought to involve a combination of chromium, vitamin B3, and select amino acids. However, unlike LMWCr, GTF remains to be specifically defined or universally accepted by researchers.)

Evidence from parenteral nutrition cases and controlled trials shows that chromium deficiency can elevate blood glucose, and that restoring chromium levels can improve glycemic control, including in some individuals with type 2 diabetes. These findings confirm the physiological importance of LMWCr in blood sugar regulation.

Diets rich in whole, minimally processed foods are associated with lower type 2 diabetes risk. Adequate chromium intake is one contributing factor among many. Some chromium-containing foods, such as cinnamon and sweet potatoes, contain additional bioactive compounds with independent effects on blood glucose regulation.

Summary of food sources

Because the amounts of chromium in foods are quite small, researchers have struggled to clearly quantify dietary chromium intake in the same way we can with other nutrients. However, based on our overall understanding of food and nutrients, we are confident that many of the WHF contain chromium, even if the database we use to determine content is incomplete. Broccoli, which does have a measured value for chromium in our database, contains about half of your daily requirement per serving and ranks as an excellent source of this nutrient. In the vegetable group, tomatoes, green beans, and romaine lettuce rank as good sources.

Several whole grains, including oats and barley, rank as good sources of chromium in our rating system. Other clearly-established food sources of chromium (but not ranked in our system as good, very good, or excellent sources) include fruits like apples and bananas, meats like chicken, grains like brown rice, and dairy products like eggs and cow’s milk. Herbs and spices also provide measurable amounts of chromium, with black pepper ranking as a good source in our rating system. As described earlier, we are confident that many foods in addition to the ones listed above contain very small-to-small amounts of chromium.

Only 7 foods in the rating system qualify as ranked chromium sources, and only 11 additional foods have quantified microgram amounts. Whole, natural foods across all food groups, including herbs and spices, contribute measurable chromium. Increasing chromium intake is best achieved through a broadly varied diet rather than targeting specific foods.

Nutrient rating chart

Introduction to nutrient rating system chart

Read more background information and details of our rating system

WHF ranked as quality sources of
chromium

Food

Serving
Size

Cals

Amount
(mcg)

DRI/DV
(%)

Nutrient
Density

World’s
Healthiest
Foods Rating

Broccoli

1 cup

54.6

18.55

53

17.5

excellent

Barley

0.33 cup

217.1

8.16

23

1.9

good

Oats

0.25 cup

151.7

5.38

15

1.8

good

Green Beans

1 cup

43.8

2.04

6

2.4

good

Tomatoes

1 cup

32.4

1.26

4

2.0

good

Romaine Lettuce

2 cups

16.0

1.25

4

4.0

good

Black Pepper

2 tsp

14.6

0.93

3

3.3

good

World’s Healthiest
Foods Rating

Rule

excellent

DRI/DV>=75% OR
Density>=7.6 AND DRI/DV>=10%

very good

DRI/DV>=50% OR
Density>=3.4 AND DRI/DV>=5%

good

DRI/DV>=25% OR
Density>=1.5 AND DRI/DV>=2.5%

Impact of cooking, storage and processing

Researchers have looked at the chromium content of prepared and convenience foods, and the amount of chromium loss varies substantially with the type of food and the type of processing. There do appear to be some patterns, though.

Turning a whole grain into a refined one appears to result in a large percentage reduction in chromium content. For example, a serving of white bread contains about half the chromium of an equivalent amount of whole-wheat bread.

Cooking vegetables, at least lightly boiling or steaming them, does not appear to deplete excessive amounts of chromium. We’ve seen studies showing loss of approximately 5-30% chromium from vegetables cooked in this way.

Risk of dietary deficiency

Whether a true chromium deficiency state exists, and at what intake level it might emerge, remains unclear. Also, limitations in the ability to measure chromium in human tissues as well as food make it difficult to study large populations.

Available evidence suggests that chromium levels vary with age, with levels going down by up to 40% in older versus younger people. This drop is probably related to dietary intake, as other research groups have concluded that chromium intake in older persons is frequently below recommended amounts.

People who eat highly refined diets, especially ones rich in simple sugars, also may be at risk of deficient chromium intake. In other words, their diet choices might leave them consuming too little chromium. One research group has also suggested that these same sugar-laden diets increase the rate of chromium loss from the body, exacerbating the deficiency risk. Given the central role of chromium in blood sugar control, this two-pronged attack on chromium status is another good reason to avoid routine intake of processed, refined foods that are also high in simple sugars.

The importance of diet quality to chromium levels is also supported by a 2011 study in which a research group taught 169 overweight or prediabetic adults to eat a healthier diet (one that included more fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates). In response to the healthier meal plan, blood chromium levels went up significantly from where they started.

Other circumstances that might contribute to deficiency

Limited data exist in this area, though some specialized clinical observations are informative. People on prolonged intravenous nutrition often develop diabetes. There are many reasons this is true, but one potential reason is chromium deficiency. For these people, getting chromium levels back to normal can reverse the issue.

Heavy exercise can increase the rate of chromium loss in the urine. Whether this is detrimental or could exacerbate deficiency of this nutrient has not been determined.

Relationship with other nutrients

Vitamin C enhances dietary chromium absorption. In one study, women absorbed more chromium from a supplement when simultaneously given 100 mg of vitamin C, approximately the amount in a serving of broccoli. Obtaining both nutrients from whole foods, where they naturally co-occur, is the preferred approach.

Chromium and iron can be transported on the same protein (transferrin) in the blood stream. It is plausible that too much of either of these minerals could impair metabolism of the other. But this interaction has never been demonstrated to be a problem in humans.

Risk of dietary toxicity

Toxicity from dietary chromium (trivalent form, Cr3+) has not been reported. Even studies using doses approximately 50 times the average dietary intake did not produce significant adverse effects.

Industrial chromium exposure is a different matter entirely. Hexavalent chromium (Cr6+), found in certain workplace settings, is a recognized carcinogen. At the top of the list for higher-risk chromium exposure are welding, painting, electroplating, steel and iron manufacture, and textile dyeing. Especially in regions where the above manufacturing facilities are located (including numerous urban locations throughout the U.S.), water supplies can at greater risk for accumulation of chromium. Municipal water supplies are currently monitored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure maximum chromium levels in water of 100 parts per billion (ppb) or less. Individuals concerned about chromium in drinking water can consider a home water filter certified for hexavalent chromium reduction, or bottled water from a manufacturer that discloses chromium content.

Disease checklist

Public health recommendations

In 2001, the National Academy of Sciences published Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) for chromium. These DRI recommendations came in the form of Adequate Intake (AI) levels as follows:

The NAS did not set a Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for chromium.

The Daily Value (DV) for chromium is 120 micrograms (mcg) per 2000 calories. This DV target is used on food labels.

At WHF, we adopted the chromium DRI for 14-50 year-old males, since that level was the highest recommended intake amount for any age-gender group (except women who are breastfeeding). This DRI and our WHF recommended daily intake level is 35 micrograms.

Description

How it functions

Deficiency symptoms

Toxicity symptoms

Factors that affect function

Nutrient interactions

Health conditions

Food sources

Related Articles

References

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  22. Anderson RA. Chromium in the prevention and control of diabetes. Diabetes Metab 2000 Feb;26(1):22-7 2000. PMID:15190. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0076-6879(76)44038-7
  23. Cefalu WT, Wang ZQ, Zhang XH et al. Oral chromium picolinate improves carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and enhances skeletal muscle Glut-4 translocation in obese, hyperinsulinemic (JCR-LA corpulent) rats. J Nutr 2002 Jun;132(6):1107-14 2002. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/132.6.1107
  24. Groff JL, Gropper SS, Hunt SM. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism. West Publishing Company, New York, 1995 1995.
  25. Kobla HV, Volpe SL. Chromium, exercise, and body composition. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2000 Jul;40(4):291-308 2000. PMID:15160.
  26. Kumpulainen JT. Chromium content of foods and diets. Biol Trace Elem Res 1992 Jan-1992 Mar 31;32:9-18 1992. PMID:12190. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0021-9673(00)87771-7
  27. Kuritzky L, Samraj GP, Quillen DM. Improving management of type 2 diabetes mellitus: 6. Chromium. Hosp Pract (Off Ed) 2000 Feb 15;35(2):113-6 2000. PMID:15200.
  28. Lininger SW, et al. A-Z guide to drug-herb-vitamin interactions. Prima Health, Rocklin, CA, 2000 2000.
  29. Vincent JB. The biochemistry of chromium. J Nutr 2000 Apr;130(4):715-8 2000. PMID:15180.
  30. Vincent JB. Elucidating a biological role for chromium at a molecular level. Acc Chem Res 2000 Jul;33(7):503-10 2000. PMID:15170.