Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in the body, according to the American Heart Association, or AHA. High levels of triglycerides can make your blood thick, says Joan Salge Blake, M.S., R.D., a licensed dietitian specializing in hypertension and cardiovascular nutrition and a clinical assistant professor at Boston University. Thick blood is more likely to clog the arteries and cause health problems. Fortunately, there are ways to lower triglyceride levels and thin your blood for better health.
Description
The food you eat will eventually become triglycerides. Food is first converted into glucose to supply the body with energy. Excess glucose not needed for energy is sent to the liver, where it's turned into triglycerides. These fats are stored in body tissue and circulate in the blood. When triglyceride levels in the blood are too high, the blood becomes thick, Blake says. A diet very high in carbohydrates can lead to elevated triglycerides, according to AHA. If 60 percent or more of your total calories are carbohydrates, you're at risk for elevated triglycerides. Excess body weight or obesity, inactivity, smoking and alcohol consumption are also risk factors. The AHA reports nearly one-third of American adults have elevated triglyceride levels, defined as more than 150 mg/dL.
Health Effects
Just as thick oil in your car becomes sluggish, thick blood in your body doesn't flow freely. "This means oxygen and nutrients can't easily get into your cells where they're needed," Blake says. Thick blood also causes your heart to pump harder to make it flow. This can lead to high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. High blood pressure is a major risk for heart disease. Elevated triglycerides in the blood increase the risk that pieces of fat will break away and attach to the artery walls, leading to narrowing of the arteries. If the arteries become too narrow or completely blocked, you risk heart attack or stroke. The AHA reports that high triglyceride levels also increase the risk of diabetes and fatty liver disease.
Solution
The AHA reports substituting healthy fats for unhealthy ones, exercising and losing excess weight can reduce triglyceride levels by 20 to 50 percent. AHA recommends limiting saturated fat to less than 7 percent of total calories and trans fats to less than 1 percent of total calories. Instead, focus on healthier fats, especially the omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, sardines, lake trout and albacore tuna. Sugar in your diet should be less than 10 percent of calories consumed, or about 100 calories daily for women and 150 calories for men, according to AHA.
Tips
Steer clear of the fast-food drive-thru and snack aisle of your grocery store. Bagged snacks, doughnuts, cookies, cakes and most fast foods contain trans fats, nasty fats that can cause your triglyceride levels to shoot up, Blake says. Stick margarine is also loaded with trans fats. If you can't bear to give up margarine, only buy the tub-type that is labeled 0 percent trans fats, Blake suggests. To cut down on triglyceride-accelerating saturated fat, choose low-fat dairy products and lean meats and use low-fat cooking methods. Sugary foods should also be avoided because they raise triglycerides.
References
- Joan Salge Blake, M.S., R.D., nutritionist in Boston; clinical professor, Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Services at Boston University
- American Heart Association: Dietary, lifestyle changes can significantly reduce triglycerides
- American Heart Association: What Your Cholesterol Levels Mean
- American Heart Association: Good vs. Bad Cholesterol
