Your doctor told you that your cholesterol tests are normal but your triglycerides are too high. That kind of news can shock a lot of people. Triglycerides are fats that come from a variety of foods you eat. You may have heard that if you eat too many starches or sugary foods it will turn into fat. Well true, all those empty calories from sugar, alcohol and extra calories you consume can turn into fats, or triglycerides.
What are Triglycerides?
Triglycerides are different than cholesterol but can still contribute to heart disease. Triglycerides are not usually the target of concern unless their levels are much higher than normal or in combination with a high cholesterol result. There are different types of fats that can protect or harm your health. The fat you eat contains fatty acids that are polyunsaturated, monounsaturated or saturated. Triglycerides are fatty substances from foods you eat that are carried in your bloodstream and attach to very low-density lipoproteins, or VLDL. The VLDL is one small part of your total cholesterol level that you don't hear much about. Your triglyceride levels are determined by the types of foods you eat.
Reduce Sugar
Excessive amounts of simple sugars will raise your triglyceride levels. Now is the time to go through your kitchen pantry and refrigerator and check your foods for added sugars. Cakes, cookies, pasta, white bread, potato chips, syrups, colas, fruit drinks, desserts are examples of foods and beverages that contain extra calories and lots of added sugars. Limit foods that contain sucrose, glucose, fructose, corn syrup, maltose, and high-fructose corn syrup which are all simple sugars. Cut way back on white bread, pasta and other foods made from refined grains. Increase whole-grain foods that are high in fiber and low in sugar. Also, go easy on natural sugars such as honey, molasses or 100 percent fruit juice.
Limit Alcohol
Alcohol will raise your triglycerides to high levels. It is high in both calories and sugar. Reduce the amount of all alcoholic beverages especially ones that contain added sweeteners, such as mixed drinks, wine coolers, fruit and coffee drinks and liquors. Even small amounts of alcohol can raise your triglyceride levels according to the Mayo Clinic.
Choose Good Fats
Trans fats and saturated fats can raise your triglycerides to higher levels. Try cooking with olive oil, canola oil or safflower oil which are healthy fats instead of butter, which is a saturated fat. The Mayo Clinic recommends that you stop eating foods that contain trans fats -- cookies, cakes, donuts, pastries and crackers, to name a few. Any food that lists "partially hydrogenated oil" as an ingredient, as this another term for trans fat.
