People tend to make the connection between cholesterol and heart disease, while triglycerides are less commonly linked. Yet, triglycerides are also a considerable contributor to your risk of heart disease. Having an adequate understanding of both your triglycerides and your cholesterol levels will help you make the appropriate changes to your diet to reach healthy triglyceride and cholesterol levels.
About
Triglycerides and cholesterol are slightly different. Triglycerides are fat. Any of your unused calories are converted into triglycerides and stored potentially for later use. These stored triglycerides can build up in your plasma, causing high triglyceride levels.
Cholesterol, at low levels, is necessary for healthy nerves, cell walls, digestion and hormone production, but when it becomes too high your health risks increase, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Your liver produces a healthy amount of cholesterol and it is not necessary to consume cholesterol in your diet.
Healthy Levels
For some people, triglyceride levels go as high as 500 mg/dl, which is extremely unhealthy. A healthy level of triglycerides falls at or below 150 mg/dl. Anything above this gradually increases your risk of heart disease.
Your total cholesterol level is based on a combination of both HDL, or good cholesterol, and LDL, or bad cholesterol. Healthy total cholesterol levels fall at or below 200 mg/dl. Anything over 200 mg/dl is considered to be unhealthy and steps need to be taken to reduce it.
Triglyceride-Lowering Diet
Simple sugars are a contributing factor in elevated triglyceride levels. By reducing sugar-rich foods from your diet, you can help lower your triglyceride levels. Avoid foods such as hard candies, sweet desserts, fruit snacks sweetened with sugar, sugary beverages such as soda and sweet tea, and any other foods that have been sweetened with sugar. Switch from refined grain products to whole-grain products. Look for whole-grain products containing at least 5 g of fiber per serving. Keep your alcohol intake below moderate levels, which is one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men, or remove alcohol completely from your diet.
Overall, reduce your calorie and fat intake in your diet. Eat a reduced-calorie diet that will help you achieve a healthy amount of weight loss. Excess weight contributes to elevated triglyceride levels.
Cholesterol-Lowering Diet
Keep your saturated fat intake to less than 7 percent of your daily calories. Instead, consume the majority of your fat in the form of unsaturated fats. Avoid consuming trans fats, which even in small amounts raise blood cholesterol levels. Limit your intake of dietary cholesterol to 300 mg per day. Reduce the overall calories in your diet to help you reduce any excess weight.
Replace some of your animal-based products with plant-based alternatives. Switching some of your animal-based products to plant-based alternatives will help you lower your saturated fat, cholesterol and overall calorie intake.
