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Does Chocolate Raise Triglycerides?

Jun 5, 2011 | By Kathryn Gilhuly
Does Chocolate Raise Triglycerides?
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Before you make a selection from a vending machine, keep this in mind: A chocolate bar can raise your triglyceride levels in four ways. A typical brand-name chocolate bar contains saturated fat, trans fat and sugar -- three triglyceride-forming substances. And if you eat enough candy bars to gain weight, the extra pounds also add to your triglyceride numbers.

Triglyceride Numbers

Triglycerides, a type of fat, act similarly to low-density lipoproteins -- LDL or "bad" cholesterol -- in your bloodstream. Both tend to accumulate in your arteries, putting you at risk for heart attacks and strokes. A healthy triglyceride level is 150 mg/dl or less. The American Heart Association in April 2011 lowered its recommendation for ideal triglyceride levels to 100 mg/dl or less. Triglyceride levels of more than 200 mg/dl put you at high risk for developing cardiovascular disease and numbers above 500 mg/dl put you at very high risk.

Saturated Fat

An average candy bar contains 4 g of saturated fat. Premium chocolate bars -- ones made with extra butter and cream -- may contain more. A triglyceride-healthy diet includes 16 g of saturated fat daily, according to the American Heart Association. If you use up to 25 percent of your daily allotment for saturated fat by eating a candy bar, it doesn't leave a lot of room for more nutritious sources of saturated fat, such as meat and milk products. If you eat a candy bar, choose low-fat sources of protein, such as fish and skinless chicken, at meals.

Trans Fat

Trans fat, an artificial fat formed when solidifying liquid vegetable oils, can elevate your triglycerides and lower your high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol that helps remove triglycerides and LDL cholesterol from your bloodstream. The American Heart Association recommends you include no more than 2 g of trans fat, usually found in margarine, shortening and other hydrogenated oils, in your daily diet. An average candy bar contains about 3 g of trans fat, 50 percent more than your daily quota. Not all chocolate bars contain trans fat. Check labels.

Sugar

A triglyceride-friendly diet derives no more than 5 percent to 10 percent of its calories from sugar. In a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, this amounts to 100 to 200 calories. One popular chocolate bar contains about 21 g of sugar in a 1.45 oz. bar. This amounts to about 83 calories from sugar. If you want to satisfy a chocolate craving without threatening your heart health, try rolling almonds in cocoa. If you crave something sweeter, make hot chocolate with 1 tbsp. of cocoa, 1 cup of nonfat milk and 2 tsp. of sugar; that's less than 1 g of saturated fat, no trans fats and 32 calories from sugar.

References

Article reviewed by Gary Reinmuth Last updated on: Jun 5, 2011

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