> Correct me if I'm wrong, but  IIRC inorganic metals are all poisons.
> What's "good for your health" would then be from the food, not the 
> container.

Hi William:

Not in this case (we were talking about the Berky water system). Chromium is 
a metal (and an element) and seems to be required in human nutrition and has 
been shown to leach at low levels from stainless steel (it is used in the 
manufacture of stainless steel).

Marilyn

http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/5/505

Chromium nutrition in man
K. Michael Hambidge M.R.C.P., Ed.1
1 From the B. F. Stolinsky Research Laboratories, Department of Pediatrics, 
University of Colorado Medical Center, Denver, Colorado 80220



In conclusion, the results of therapeutic trials of dietary chromium 
supplementation have indicated that chromium deficiency can be a cause of or 
an aggravating factor in the glucose intolerance of infants suffering from 
protein-calorie malnutrition, maturity-onset diabetics, and of middle-aged 
and elderly subjects in this country. Laboratory investigations have 
suggested certain other conditions which may he associated with a particular 
risk of chromium deficiency, including: low birth weight, insulin-dependent 
juvenile diabetes and gestational diabetes. Factors predisposing to such a 
deficiency vary with the circumstances: 1) a poor placental supply of GTF to 
the low birth weight neonate; 2) geographical variations in dietary chromium 
appear to be responsible for chromium deficiency in association with 
protein-calorie malnutrition in some, but not all, communities, and the 
effects may be accentuated by protein deficiency; 3) abnormal chromium 
metabolism in the insulin-dependent diabetic may lead to chromium depletion 
as a result of excessive urinary chromium loss; and, 4) fetal demands can 
deplete the maternal chromium reserves during pregnancy (28). There is 
evidence to suggest that suboptimal chromium nutrition may be prevalent in 
this country, and may become of increasing importance with advancing age. If 
confirmed, prevention of dietary chromium deficiency may require 
modifications of current dietary practices and food processing techniques. 
Currently, research is being directed to the improvement of techniques for 
the detection of chromium deficiency, evaluation of the biologically 
meaningful chromium content of diets and to the purification and synthesis 
of the glucose tolerance factor. It is anticipated that progress in these 
research areas will permit adequate evaluation of the chromium nutritional 
status of individuals and populations, and effective measures to treat and 
prevent human chromium deficiency.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "William" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 11:39 AM
Subject: Re: Stainless Steel - Chromium


> Correct me if I'm wrong, but  IIRC inorganic metals are all poisons.
> What's "good for your health" would then be from the food, not the 
> container.
>
> On Thu, 15 Mar 2007 07:00:16 -0400, Marilyn Harris 
> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>
>
>> Small doses of chromium, like iron, are good for your health, but they 
>> can be harmful in higher amounts. The safe intake range is about 50 to 
>> 200 micrograms per day, what most Canadians take in. One meal prepared 
>> with stainless steel equipment gives you about 45 micrograms of 
>> chromium, not enough to cause concern.
>>
>
>
>
> William