This Nutrient Can Reduce Sugar Cravings

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Sugar cravings can be difficult to master at the best of times, but is there a solution? Perhaps. Recently chromium, a trace mineral, has been making headlines for its ability to regulate blood sugar levels and support weight loss, but is it really the answer we've all been looking for or are there other ways to beat your sugar cravings?

What does chromium do for you?

When it comes to how chromium affects the body, scientists are still trying to unlock all of the mineral's secrets and studies can be conflicting. What we do know is that chromium is needed for the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates and this is believed to be because of its effect on insulin.

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps your body to utilise glucose (sugar) absorbed from carbohydrates. When you eat too much sugary foods it will inspire a release of insulin, which will attempt to move glucose from the bloodstream, preventing your blood glucose levels from climbing too high.

However, if your body is releasing insulin on a regular basis, you may become resistant to its impact, which is where diabetes comes into the picture. Once your blood sugar levels have spiked, there comes an inevitable crash, and this is when you start to crave sugar.

Chromium is believed to enhance the action of insulin and reduce insulin resistance. One study found that taking a chromium picolinate supplement managed to improve blood glucose control, with researchers stating that chromium could help to reduce cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Where Can I Get Chromium in my Diet?

While supplements can be beneficial, I would always recommend trying to get what you need from your diet first. Below I've listed a few different food sources of chromium to get you started.

Since B vitamins and vitamin C can also help to boost the absorbability of the chromium you're ingesting, it might be worthwhile also trying to increase your intake of these essential vitamins too!