You’ve no doubt read a lot about cholesterol and its effects on your cardiovascular system. An excess of cholesterol can cause a buildup of fatty deposits within your arteries, reducing blood flow and thereby increasing your risks for heart disease, heart attack and stroke. But another form of fat is also found in your bloodstream: triglycerides. Like cholesterol, the level of triglycerides in your body is often affected by your diet. Many foods can increase triglyceride levels, including deli meat.
Fat
As with almost any animal product, deli meat tends to contain saturated fat, which can increase the number of triglycerides in your body. According to the American Heart Association, saturated fat should make up no more than 7 percent of your daily calories, so check the amount of fat in your choice of deli meat. Something like turkey, especially when it’s made from white meat, doesn’t usually have as much saturated fat as, for example, roast beef.
Cholesterol
Along with saturated fat, deli meat also contains cholesterol — like most animal-based products. If your triglyceride level is high, you usually should limit your intake of dietary cholesterol as well. For most people, aim for no more than 300 milligrams a day. If, however, you have heart disease, keep it to fewer than 200 milligrams, recommends MayoClinic.com.
Sugar
Interestingly enough, low in fat and cholesterol doesn’t always mean heart-healthy. For example, low-fat honey ham can contain a lot of added sugar, and simple sugars can increase your numbers. If your selection of deli meat lists honey, corn syrup, molasses, fructose, glucose or sucrose as one of its first few ingredients, you probably want to skip it. To keep triglyceride levels low, limit your sugar intake to no more than 8 percent of your calories each day, suggests the Cleveland Clinic.
Considerations
Your choice of deli meat won’t do as much for your triglyceride levels as making changes to your overall diet. Any calories you eat above and beyond your body’s current caloric need are converted to triglycerides, increasing this form of fat in your bloodstream. Excess weight and a sedentary lifestyle also contribute to your triglyceride level. To lower this fat in your body, try to lose weight and exercise regularly. If lifestyle changes are unable to improve your numbers, talk to your doctor about medication options. Niacin, fibrates, statins and omega-3 fatty acids are all known to lower the level of triglycerides in your body.
Numbers
With triglycerides, anything below 150 mg/dL, or milligrams per deciliter of blood, is best. Between 150 and 199 mg/dL is considered "borderline high." As soon as you hit 200 mg/dL, you are considered to have high triglycerides, says MayoClinic.com.
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