Diet To Decrease Tryglycerides

Triglycerides and cholesterol blood levels have to be maintained within normal values, because abnormal levels of these fats increase your chance of developing heart disease. Both triglyceride and cholesterol levels become abnormal as we age, due to certain medical conditions, using certain drugs or unhealthy diet and lifestyle. Therefore, improving diet may help you improve your triglyceride levels. Always talk to a doctor before making any major changes in your diet.

Fresh Vegetables

Try adding a variety of colors, from green leafy vegetables; to red, yellow, red and purple vegetables since they are all rich in antioxidant nutrients and fibers that help improve not only the blood lipids level, but also your overall health. Raw carrot juice appears to be particularly beneficial, as it was found to be more potent than other vegetables in reducing blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, says Tori Hudson, author of "Women's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicines."

Soy Foods

Soy foods like soybeans, tofu, soy milk, soy cheese, soy yogurt, miso, tempeh and nato are goods sources of plant-based proteins and may be used to replace some red meats that are high not only in proteins, but also unhealthy fats. Soy products have been shown to lower triglycerides, as well as total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, says Debra K. Mosher author of "Cardiac Nursing, a Companion to Braunwald's Heart Disease."

Choose Healthy Fats

Fish, fish oil and vegetable oils like olive or flax oil provide healthy omega-3 fatty acids. According to a study published in the February 2011 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, omega-3 essential fatty acids help decrease triglyceride levels. This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind study conducted over an eight-week period. Daily doses of 3.4 mg omega-3/dl reduced triglyceride levels by 27 percent in the participants who received omega-3 supplements, compared with placebo group. The authors noted that this daily dose of omega-3 was higher than the usual intake of omega-3 from nutritional sources, however, so to achieve the same results you will likely need to use supplements in addition to consuming omega-3-rich foods.

Cut Down on Sugar

Fructose, a type of sugar found in fruits, sweeteners and many processed foods that contain high-fructose corn syrup, significantly increases triglyceride and cholesterol levels, says Hudson. She further suggests limiting fruit consumption to one serving a day and completely eliminating all dietary sources of fructose, particularly if your triglyceride levels are over 150 mg/dl. Other sugars like sucrose, glucose and maltose also negatively impact the lipid profile, but not to the same degree that fructose does.

Sugar from refined foods like white bread, pasta, cereals and rice should also be avoided because they increase both triglyceride and insulin levels. On the other hand, whole grains, brown and wild rice, rye, barley and millet are good sources of healthy sugars and can be consumed as part of your diet.