High triglycerides and high low-density cholesterol, two types of artery-clogging substances, elevate your risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Other risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, a sedentary lifestyle and a high body mass index, or BMI. Men, persons older than 50 and people with a family history of heart disease also prove more susceptible to heart attacks and strokes.
Triglyceride Measurements
A blood test reveals the amount of triglycerides in your arteries. Your triglyceride levels are measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood. The abbreviation for milligram is mg and the abbreviation for deciliter is dL. The abbreviation ml stands for milliliter, a different type of metric measurement not used to measure triglycerides. One ml equals 0.001 -- 1/1,000th of a liter -- and 1 mg equals 0.001 g. Triglycerides are measured in milligrams in the United States and in millimoles in Canada and most of Europe. Triglycerides below 150 mg/dL represent a low risk for heart disease, levels between 150 mg/dL and 199 mg/dL indicate a borderline high risk, levels between 200 mg/dL and 499 mg/dL put you at high risk and levels above 500 mg/dL put you at very high risk. In April 2011, the American Heart Association lowered its "best" rating for triglycerides to 100 mg/dL or less.
Triglycerides and Diet
Your triglycerides respond to the foods you eat. Some foods, such as meat, butter and margarine, contain triglycerides. Sugar and alcohol do not contain triglycerides, but if you consume them in excess, your body converts them to triglycerides. To keep -- or return -- your triglycerides to the 100 mg/dL to 150 mg/dL range, follow a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat and sugar. Animal products and tropical oils contain saturated fat, and margarine and shortening contain trans fat. Sugar includes table sugar, molasses, honey, corn syrup, fructose and maple syrup.
American Heart Association Guidelines
The American Heart Association issued a scientific statement that says you can reduce your triglycerides by following a diet that includes no more than 16 g of saturated fat, no more than 2 g of trans fat, no more than 150 calories a day from foods that include added sugar and no more than 50 g to 100 g of fructose from fruit and processed food. You should also limit your consumption of alcohol, especially if your triglycerides top 500 mg/dL. You can lower your triglycerides by another 20 to 30 percent if you perform at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise.
Sample Menu
An example of a daily menu that would keep within the AHA guidelines includes a breakfast of oatmeal cooked with non-fat milk and topped with cinnamon, blueberries and walnuts; a lunch featuring a veggie burger topped with lettuce, tomatoes and spinach on a multi-grain bun with an apple for dessert, and a dinner of barbecued black beans, brown rice and a vegetable medley with a bowl of berries and non-fat plain yogurt for dessert. For snacks, try fresh fruit, a handful of nuts, plain popcorn or a smoothie with bananas, strawberries, soy milk and ice.
References
- MayoClinic.com: High Cholesterol; June 24 2010
- American Heart Association: Diet, Lifestyle Changes Can Significantly Reduce Triglycerides; April 18 2011
- Cleveland Clinic: Heart and Vascular Health and Prevention; How Foods Affect Triglycerides
- University of California San Francisco Medical Center: Cholesterol Content of Foods; Feb. 2, 2011
- United States Department of Agriculture: My Pyramid
- MayoClinic.com: Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines; February 2011
