The type and amount of fat in your diet affects both your triglycerides and your low-density lipoprotein -- LDL or "bad" cholesterol. Consuming too much saturated fat and trans fat can elevate your risk for developing heart disease. But the amount of sugar in your diet also plays a key role in whether your triglycerides remain at safe levels or rise to unhealthy ranges.
Recommended Triglyceride Levels
A blood test, performed after fasting, shows the amount of triglycerides in your bloodstream, measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood. Triglyceride levels higher than 500 mg/dL put you at very high risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack. Levels between 200 mg/dL and 500 mg/dL put you at high risk, and numbers between 150 mg/dL and 200 mg/dL put you at borderline high risk. Ideally, your triglycerides measure 100 mg/dL or lower.
Restrict Sugar Intake
If you consume more sugar than your body can use as energy, the sugar gets stored as fat -- triglycerides -- in your bloodstream. This excess fat accumulates in your arteries and can restrict the flow of blood to your heart and other vital organs. If you carry excess weight, shedding pounds can help lower your cholesterol. You should also restrict your daily intake of sugar. The American Heart Association recommends you include no more than 5 percent to 10 percent of your daily calories from foods that contain added sugar. This means you should limit your consumption of regular soda to about 36 oz. a week and restrict your intake of cakes, cookies and candies.
Fructose Restrictions
Fructose, the type of sugar found naturally in fruit and added to some processed foods, may also cause your triglycerides to rise. You should restrict fructose consumption to between 50 g and 100 g per day. This doesn't mean you shouldn't eat fruit -- you could eat 11 medium apples without exceeding your quota -- but should use caution when eating some types of fruit, such as raisins and watermelon. You should also include more whole fruit than fruit juices in your diet. Canned fruit, even types that include fruit juice rather than syrup, contain more fructose than fresh fruit.
Additional Dietary Guidelines
The American Heart Association said in a scientific statement released in April 2011 that following a low-sugar, low-fat diet and included regular exercise could reduce your triglycerides by 20 to 50 percent. In addition to lowering sugar intake, you should restrict consumption of saturated fat to 16 g daily and your intake of saturated fat to 2 g daily. Meat and tropical oils provide the main sources for saturated fat, while trans fat occurs mostly in margarine and shortening. You should limit your consumption of alcoholic beverages, especially if your triglycerides measure higher than 500 mg/dL, and exercise for at least 150 minutes a week.
