Consider The Bigger Picture
Certain health issues can affect your triglyceride level. Type 2 diabetes, for instance, is a risk factor for high triglycerides. So are thyroid issues and kidney diseases like uremia.
If youre concerned about your triglycerides, it makes sense to see your doctor for a head-to-toe checkup to see if any underlying causes could potentially be at play.
Look At Your Prescription Meds
A bunch of different drugs can potentially raise triglyceride levels, including oral estrogen, corticosteroids, and antipsychotic drugs.
If your numbers recently measured high, be sure to review any prescription drugs you might be taking with your doctor. If one of your meds is the culprit, you can talk figure out a plan for protecting your heart health.
How Do Foods Affect Triglyceride Levels
Eating foods high in simple sugars significantly contributes to high triglyceride levels. Follow these guidelines to limit simple sugars in your diet:
- Substitute beverages like colas, fruit drinks, iced tea, lemonade, Hi-C and Kool-Aid with artificially sweetened beverages labeled sugar-free or diet.
- Limit hard candies, chocolates, candy bars, and gummy bears.
- Avoid adding table sugar and brown sugar to cereal, drinks or foods. Instead, use an artificial or herbal sweetener or nothing at all!
- Choose sugar-free gum or mints instead of the regular versions.
- Try light or low-sugar syrups on pancakes and waffles.
- Spread breads and crackers with no-sugar-added jelly or preserves.
- Snack on whole fruit instead of fruit roll-ups and other fruit-flavored treats.
- When selecting cereals, choose those with no more than 8 grams of sugar per serving.
- Try sugar-free gelatin, popsicles, yogurts, and puddings instead of the regular versions.
- Be aware that desserts labeled fat-free usually contain more sugar than the full-fat varieties and the same number of calories.
- Cut back on or avoid eating sweets and dessert foods, including cookies, cakes, pastries, pies, ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet, gelato, and flavored ices. All of these foods contain high levels of sugar.
- Read the ingredients list on food labels, and limit foods that list any of the following words in the first few ingredients:
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Add More Fiber To Your Diet
Fiber is the part of your food that isnt digested, and its important because it helps you feel full. According to a study published in February 2019 in the journal Current Developments in Nutrition, dietary fiber can reduce the risk of high triglycerides in young to middle-aged adults who are overweight or obese. In general, fiber-rich foods also have carbohydrate content that is more complex and can lead to more gradual absorption by the body, which can also help temper the triglyceride increase that occurs after meals, says Michael Wesley Milks, MD, a cardiologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. Fiber is found in whole grains and nutrient-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables.
Foods That Lower Your Cholesterol
Some foods can actively help to lower your cholesterol and they all work in different ways. Try to include these foods in your meals whenever you can:
1. Oats and barley
Eating whole grain foods reduces your risk of heart disease. Oats and barley are extra special because they are high in a type of soluble fibre called ‘beta glucan’. Beta glucan helps to lower ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol in your blood2,3.
Tip: Flavoured oat products like ‘Quick Oats’ often contain added salt and/or sugar. Choose products that contain 100% oats as they’re closest to how theyre found in nature.
2. Vegetables and fruit
Eating a variety of colourful vegetables and fruit everyday can help protect you against heart disease, stroke and some cancers4,5. Many vegetables and fruit are high in soluble fibre which helps to reduce the absorption of cholesterol and lower ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol in your blood.
Tip: Leave the skins on vegetables like pumpkin, kmara and carrot to maximise your intake of fibre. Use orange and lemon peel in dressings and sauces.
3. Foods rich in heart-healthy fats
Eating plenty of foods that contain heart-healthy mono and poly-unsaturated fats increases the levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol in your blood.
These foods contain heart-healthy fats.
- Vegetable oils and spreads
Eating these foods instead of foods high in saturated fat improves your cholesterol. Itll reduce your risk of heart disease too6.
4. Legumes and beans
5. Nuts
6. Soy products
7. Plant sterols
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How Long Does It Take To Lower Triglycerides
Depending on whats causing your high triglyceride levels, you may be able to lower them in just a few days. A night out drinking or eating foods high in sugar can cause a spike in your triglyceride levels. Limiting alcohol and sugar intake can bring your levels back to normal within a few days.
If you have consistently high triglycerides, it may take a few months for them to return to a healthy range. How fast they lower depends on the lifestyle changes, diet, and medications youre taking.
Weed Out Trans Fats And Saturated Fats
There is so much evidence implicating trans fats in heart disease. “The first thing we do when I’m counseling patients is to go over all the sources of trans fats in their diet and make substitutions,” McManus says.
Trans fats are created by adding hydrogen to a liquid fat to help it solidify. Food manufacturers started using trans fats because they extend the shelf life of packaged baked goods. Fast-food purveyors took to them because they can be reused again and again. Although public pressure has forced the food industry to phase out trans fats, they haven’t disappeared entirely. To avoid eating them inadvertently, scrutinize the labels on food packages before you put them in your shopping cart. If you see “partially hydrogenated” in the list of ingredients, pass that product by. If trans fats aren’t banned from restaurants in your area, ask if the cook uses partially hydrogenated oil before you order.
Saturated fats and dietary cholesterol, which are derived primarily from animal products, aren’t exactly heart-healthy, but it’s all right to eat them in small amounts. McManus says that because eggs are such a good source of nutrients, it’s okay to have as many as four yolks a week and whites as often as you like. She also gives a nod to red meat, shrimp, lobster, high-fat cheeses, butter, and organ meatsbut only to small portions of each one every couple of weeks or so.
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Saturated And Trans Fats
Saturated fats can raise triglyceride levels. They can be found in fried foods, red meat, chicken skin, egg yolks, high-fat dairy, butter, lard, shortening, margarine, and fast food. Alternatives include:
- Lean proteins such as skinless white chicken meat and fish
- Olive oil, canola oil, and peanut oil
Trans fats are hydrogenated fats that can be found in some packaged and fried foods. Trans fats have been banned, with exceptions, from the food supply in the U.S.
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Foods That Lower Triglycerides
Your diet is the main contributor to your overall triglyceride levels, with high calorie, high-fat foods being the main culprits. Eating in excess amounts contributes to this problem as well, as when you take in more calories than you need, the body changes those calories into triglycerides, getting stored as fat. Following some of these tips can help you choose calories wiser and help lower your triglyceride levels:
- Reduce saturated fats and trans fats. These are commonly found in animal products, fast food, baked goods, and other prepackaged and processed foods
- Use healthy mono- and poly-unsaturated fats. Found in olive or canola cooking oil
- Eat more fruits and vegetables. Getting the majority of your calories from these sources make it satisfies hunger and keeps you away from unhealthy alternatives
- Alcohol in moderation. May be full of empty calories
- Avoid refined sugars. Typically found in processed foods
- Eat fish protein once or twice a week. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish can help lower triglyceride levels
- Eat plenty of fiber. Fiber increases satiety, and also aid in decreases cholesterol absorption in the gut
- Limit total dietary cholesterol to 200mg per day
The following is a list of well-known natural foods that lower triglycerides:
This article covers how triglycerides and cholesterol affect your health and how you can lower them naturally.
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Indian Diet To Reduce Cholesterol & Triglyceride : Tip 2 Dal Is A Great Way To Improve The Diet Quality
Legumes/ pulses are very nutritious for many reasons. They are a rich source of protein, a good source of carbs, and other vitamins and minerals. Dal contains a decent amount of soluble as well as insoluble fiber. In India, we have more than 65000 varieties of dal.
There is no particular dal that will give you any additional benefits to fix the blood parameters. Bring variety in your dal selection. Try to consume at least 5-6 types of dal in a week. This will help you to get the benefits of it without getting the side effects. Feel free to add yellow moong, green moong, masoor, tur, kulthi, rajma, chana, soybean, chole, lobia, matar dal, and their countless varieties in the diet.
Dont forget to soak the dal for at least 5-6 hrs. Soaking helps to remove the anti-nutritional factors and make dal nutrients more available to your body. If you are someone who often experiences gas, bloating after having dal, soaking is a must for you.
You can also consider adding sprouts, sattu, besan, etc pulse products to your diet.
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How To Lower Triglycerides
What does it mean when you have high triglycerides? How do you lower your triglycerides?
If youve been told that you have high triglycerides a type of fat found in the bloodstream youre not alone. One report suggests that nearly one-third of Americans have elevated triglycerides.1
Higher than normal triglyceride levels are a problem because theyre associated with increased risk of metabolic dysfunction, heart attacks, and strokes.2
Although many people focus on the risks associated with high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high triglycerides may be even more predictive of future heart events.3
The good news is, you can use the advice in this guide to work with your healthcare provider to reduce your triglycerides naturally. You can also consider discussing medications or supplements to lower your triglycerides if needed.
Heres what you need to know about reducing your triglycerides.
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What Are Triglycerides And Why Are They Important
“Triglycerides are a type of blood lipid and they’re made up of free fatty acids. They’re stored in your body fat, but you’ll also find them in your blood,” says nutritionist Jessica Ash, CNC, HHC, FDN-P and founder of Jessica Ash Wellness. “And because your liver makes them, they’re also found in your liver and then your tissues. Our body gets triglycerides either from the food that you eat or from the body it manufactures triglycerides in the liver.”
“It’s important to know that triglycerides, like cholesterol, are normally protective . But triglycerides are used for energy, whereas cholesterol is used for steroid hormone production,” Ash explains. “And our muscles are specifically what like to uptake fatty acids or triglycerides. So they’re fatty acids that the body usually uses for energy.”
Your body needs energy from food to function. But excess energy, especially from sources like simple carbohydrates, can be stored as triglycerides, which can create issues if your triglyceride levels are elevated above the normal range. According to the Mayo Clinic, if your triglycerides are over 150 mg/dL, then you’re at a greater risk for developing heart disease.
Baked Beans With Sugar Or Pork Added
Beans have fiber and other nutrients going for them. But if they’re made with sugar or pork, they may not be the best choice. The label on the can should say what’s in there, and how much sugar and fat you’re getting. Switch to black beans, which are a great source of fiber and protein, without saturated fats or added sugar.
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Use Liquid Vegetable Oils In Place Of Solid Fats
Liquid vegetable oils such as canola, safflower, sunflower, soybean and olive oil can often be used instead of solid fats, such as butter, lard or shortening. If you must use margarine, try the soft or liquid kind.
Use a little liquid oil to:
- Pan-fry fish and poultry.
- Make cream sauces and soups using low-fat or fat-free milk.
- Add to whipped or scalloped potatoes using low-fat or fat-free milk.
- Brown rice for Spanish, curried or stir-fried rice.
- Cook dehydrated potatoes and other prepared foods that call for fat to be added.
- Make pancakes or waffles.
Go Crazy With Colorful Fruits And Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables have scads of ingredients that lower cholesterolincluding fiber, cholesterol-blocking molecules called sterols and stanols, and eye-appealing pigments. The heart-healthy list spans the color spectrumleafy greens, yellow squashes, carrots, tomatoes, strawberries, plums, blueberries. As a rule, the richer the hue, the better the food is for you.
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Triglycerides In Your Blood
In addition to cholesterol, your blood also contains a type of fat called triglycerides, which are stored in your bodys fat deposits. Hormones release triglycerides to make energy between meals.
When you eat, your body converts any extra energy it doesnt need right away into triglycerides.Like cholesterol, your body needs triglycerides to work properly. However, there is evidence to suggest that some people with high triglycerides are at increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
If you regularly eat more energy than you need, you may have high triglycerides.
Ways To Lower Your A1c Level
Diabetes is a life-altering chronic disease. If diagnosed, you must deal with diabetes daily. And this means you need to make big life changes, like monitoring and lowering your A1C level.
There are two types of diabetes: insulin-dependent diabetes and non-insulin-dependent diabetes, also known as type II diabetes. By far, the majority of people have type II diabetes. This is the type of diabetes that usually occurs later in life. It is also very often correlated with lifestyle and obesity. These correlations are not always present, but generally speaking they are true.
The good thing about this correlation is that you can take advantage of lifestyle changes to affect your bodys biology. That means if you improve your lifestyle, then you can improve your diabetes control! Good diabetes control means you will be at a lower risk of complications like blindness, kidney failure, and nerve damage.
Most people these days measure their diabetes control using the hemoglobin A1C test. The A1C test looks at your average blood sugar over the last three months. If your A1C is above the goal that your doctor sets, then your diabetes is in poor control. If your A1C is lower than your doctors goal, then your diabetes is in good control. If youre able to make these lifestyle changes, then you will impress your doctor with your falling A1C.
A1C Levels That Are Unhealthy
The Weighted Average of the A1c Test
Your A1c Result Corresponds to an Average Blood Glucose Level
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Healthy Foods That Can Help Lower Your Triglycerides
To get you started, here are 7 nutrient-dense foods that promote not just healthy triglyceride levels, but healthy blood pressure and sugar levelsand healthy weight too!
Beans
Beans are a fantastic complex carbohydrate providing loads of fiber and protein, as well as vitamins and minerals. Their low-sugar, high-fiber helps support healthy blood sugar levels. They add great texture and flavor to food and theres a huge variety of them to keep your tastebuds happy.
Salmon
Salmon is a fantastic source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon is easy to find, and fish-eaters love it. Ensuring your diet has plenty of salmons omega-3s can help your body make less triglycerides in the liver.
One review of clinical trials found eating fish that provided more than 1 gram of omega-3s a day was associated with improved triglyceride levels. Other options that are rich in omega-3s include sardines and other fatty fish, as well as lean, grass-fed beef.
Broccoli and Crucifers
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, arugula, kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts are all foods that lower triglycerides. Theyre loaded with fiber, other nutrients, and a sulfur-rich compound called sulfuraphane.
One animal study indicated that sulfuraphane may help reduce triglyceride levels. Another study involving individuals with blood sugar health issues showed a reduction of triglycerides after taking broccoli sprout powder supplements.
Berries
Spinach
Oats
Avocado
Be Careful With Pancake Toppings
Table sugar is not the only kind of sugar you need to be wary of when you have high triglycerides. Honey and maple syrup can increase your triglyceride levels, too. One tablespoon of honey has 64 calories and approximately 17 grams of sugar. One tablespoon of maple syrup contains 50 calories and approximately 13 grams of sugar. If you want to indulge in these sweeteners, use less of them or look for low-calorie or sugar-free maple syrup. Sugar comes in many forms. Read the labels and watch for brown sugar, corn syrup, corn sweetener, fruit juice concentrate, fructose sweetener, glucose, invert sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, maltose, lactose, malt syrup, molasses, sucrose, turbinado sugar, and trehalose. They are also bad for your blood sugar.
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