A blood cholesterol test reveals important information about your heart health. If either your low-density lipoprotein cholesterol -- LDL or "bad" cholesterol -- or triglycerides reach high levels, your risk for cardiovascular disease increases. If your high-density lipoprotein -- HDL or "good" cholesterol -- falls too low, the ability of your body to eliminate LDL and triglycerides from your bloodstream weakens. Your diet affects all elements of your cholesterol readings, but diet may play the biggest role in your triglyceride levels.
Food That Affects Triglycerides
Some foods naturally contain triglycerides. Margarine, butter, poultry and beef, for instance, contain triglycerides. If you eat a lot of these foods, your triglycerides will likely elevate. If you eat too much sugar, your body converts the extra glucose into triglycerides. Trans fat, found primarily in shortening and margarine; saturated fat, found mostly in meat, dairy products and tropical oils; and sugar comprise the dietary components most likely to elevate your triglycerides. Drinking too much alcohol can also make your triglycerides rise.
Trans Fat
Limit your trans fat consumption to 2 g per day. To lower trans fat in your diet, use healthy oils such as olive and canola when cooking. If baking at home, look for recipes that allow you to substitute vegetable oil for margarine. In some recipes -- muffins, for instance -- you can eliminate fat entirely by substituting applesauce for margarine. Trans fat can also hide in foods such as commercially-baked cookies, candies, pies and chips. Read nutrition labels before buying -- or eating -- such foods. Fast-food fries, doughnuts and some frozen entrees contain more trans fat than you can safely consume in a day.
Saturated Fat
Limit saturated fat intake to 16 g daily. To lower saturated fat in your diet, limit your overall consumption of protein. The United States Department of Agriculture My Pyramid guidelines suggest most people need no more than 6 oz. a day. If you eat a ½ -lb. hamburger, you would use up your saturated fat quota for the day. Healthier choices for protein include non-fat milk, nuts, halibut, water-packed tuna, skinless chicken and lobster.
Sugar
No more than 10 percent of your daily calories should come from foods that contain added sugar. Ideally, men will limit their daily sugar intake to 150 calories and women to 100 calories. This means you should drink no more than about 5 oz. of regular soda daily and eat few sweet treats. The American Heart Association also recommends that you exercise caution when choosing fruits to limit your intake of fructose to 50 g to 100 g daily. Fruit juices and dried fruits contain higher concentrations of fructose than high-fiber fruits such as grapefruit, strawberries and pears.
References
- Mayo Clinic; High Cholesterol; June 24 2010
- American Heart Association; Diet, Lifestyle Changes Can Significantly Reduce Triglyceride; April 18 2011
- Mayo Clinic; Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines; February 2011
- United States Department of Agriculture: My Pyramid
- University of California San Francisco Medical Center; Cholesterol Content of Foods; Feb. 2 2011
