Chromium

Values per 100g from USDA SR Legacy and McCance and Widdowson 7th edition; the site's food entries currently store macros only. Chromium values are not routinely reported and vary considerably with soil and processing, so a precise ranked table is less useful than for most other nutrients.

Useful UK sources include lean beef and chicken, broccoli, lentils and other pulses, wholegrains such as oat bran and brown rice, peanuts, and apples and other fruits.

The UK has not set a strict Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) for chromium. NHS reproduces SACN's safe-intake guidance.

Chromium deficiency in adults eating any normal diet is essentially unknown. A few historical cases of low blood chromium were reported in patients on long-term parenteral nutrition that lacked chromium; modern formulations include it.

NHS supplement guidance: taking 10mg or less a day of chromium from food and supplements combined is unlikely to cause any harm.

Common UK supplement products are in the 50 to 200 microgram range, well below the upper.

Routine chromium supplementation is not needed for healthy UK adults. The widespread marketing of chromium picolinate and similar products for blood-sugar control and weight loss has been examined in clinical trials and reviews; the evidence for reliable benefits at typical doses is weak.

People with type 2 diabetes should rely on the standard NHS-recommended approaches (medication if prescribed, dietary change, weight loss if appropriate, physical activity) rather than chromium supplements for management.

• Other trace minerals: Copper, Manganese, Molybdenum, Selenium.

• NHS. Vitamins and minerals: Others. nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/others.
• SACN. Dietary Reference Values for Food Energy and Nutrients for the United Kingdom. Department of Health Report 41 (1991).

This page is reference information for UK shoppers. It is not medical advice. People with diabetes should follow personalised guidance from their GP or diabetes team.