If you want to lower your unhealthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels, changes in your diet can help. Your low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, also called LDL or simply "bad" cholesterol, can clog your arteries and make you more susceptible to heart disease. Triglycerides act similarly in your bloodstream. To lower both fats inside your body, it may help to lose weight, reduce the type and amount of fat you eat, consume less sugar and alcohol and exercise more. Physical activity helps you burn fat and elevate your "good" HDL, or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
How Much Fat to Eat
MayoClinic.com recommends you limit your consumption of three fats: cholesterol, saturated fats and triglycerides. Keep your daily cholesterol consumption between 200 mg and 300 mg. Observe the lower figure if risk factors such as your age, family history and underlying medical conditions make you more vulnerable to heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends you limit saturated fats to 7 percent of your total calories. MayoClinic.com advises to keep your limits between 7 and 10 percent. This amounts to about 16 g to 22 g of saturated fat daily. Eat little or no trans fat -- no more than 1 percent of daily calories, or 2 g.
How to Limit Cholesterol
To limit dietary cholesterol, eat fewer eggs and less fatty meat. An egg contains 212 mg of cholesterol and beef short ribs include 94 mg of cholesterol in a 3.5-oz serving. Ham contains 53 mg of cholesterol and water-packed tuna contains 30 mg. You can also obtain some of your protein from vegetable sources. Tofu and pinto beans, for instance, contain no cholesterol, according to the University of California San Francisco Medical Center. Choose low-fat sources of dairy. A 1 cup serving of whole yogurt contains 29 mg of cholesterol, while the same-size serving of non-fat yogurt contains 10 mg. Only animal products contain cholesterol.
How to Limit Saturated Fat
You should also reduce your intake of saturated fat. Animal products provide a main source of saturated fats, so some of the same dietary advice applies to both cholesterol and saturated fats. But even if you eat no meat, you could consume too much saturated fat. Tropical oils, including palm and coconut, contain saturated fats. Fried foods may contain saturated fats if cooked in tropical oil. Commercial baked goods may also contain saturated fat even if they contain no eggs or dairy. Nutrition food labels can help you determine both the amount of cholesterol and saturated fat in a food item.
How to Reduce Trans Fat
The amount of trans fat you eat particularly affects your triglycerides. Triglycerides, found in shortening and margarine, can raise your triglyceride levels even when eaten in small amounts. A tbsp. of margarine, for instance, contains more triglyceride than you should consume in a day. Commercial baked goods such as cookies and cakes, and snack foods such as potato chips, may contain unhealthy amounts of triglyceride. Replace margarine and shortening with oils such as olive and canola.
Foods to Add to Your Diet
Adding certain foods to your diet can help to lower cholesterol. MayoClinic.com recommends you include five cholesterol-fighting foods in your diet: fiber, found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains; omega 3 fatty acids, found in fish such as mackerel and lake trout; nuts, such as walnuts and almonds; olive oil to replace other cooking oils and bread spreads, and plant sterols, found in some types of yogurt drinks, orange juice and margarine.
