Foods To Lower Triglycerides
Will A Keto Diet Lower Triglycerides And Cholesterol
No, keto diets have been shown to increase cholesterol levels. The Mediterranean diet, however, has been shown to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiac events.
The Mediterranean diet promotes eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats daily eating fish, poultry, beans, and eggs weekly reducing portions of dairy and limiting red meat.
Signs And Symptoms Of High Triglyceride
High triglycerides usually do not cause symptoms. However, it can pose a risk of:
- Stroke
- Cholesterol problems
A simple blood test that goes by the name of a lipid panel is administered to determine your triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Fasting for 8-12 hours prior to the test is advised to get an accurate measurement of your triglyceride level and to determine whether your triglycerides fall into a healthy range.
Normal triglyceride level less than 150 mg/dL
Borderline high triglyceride level 150 mg/dL to 199 mg/dL
High triglyceride level 200 mg/dL to 499 mg/dL
Very high triglyceride level 500 mg/dL and above
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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.
Mismanaged Type 2 Diabetes
One of the most common chronic illnesses in the United States is type 2 diabetes. The CDC estimates that 37.3 million Americans have it, and as many as 96 million are pre-diabetic. Studies have shown that high triglyceride levels have links to poor blood glucose control. If you have diabetes and donât correctly manage it, you may find your triglyceride levels climbing, potentially worsening your diabetes. So, controlling your triglyceride levels may help you handle type 2 diabetes.
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Supplement A Healthy Lifestyle
Heart disease is a significant concern for Americans. Living a healthy lifestyle, exercising regularly, and supplementing a nutritious diet with certain vitamins and herbs can help to lower cholesterol and improve heart health. Speak with a healthcare provider or pharmacist to find out what heart health supplements are best.
Establish A Regular Meal Pattern
Insulin resistance is another factor that can contribute to high blood triglycerides.
After you eat a meal, the cells in your pancreas send a signal to release insulin into the bloodstream. Insulin is then responsible for transporting sugar to your cells to be used for energy.
If you have too much insulin in your blood, your body can become resistant to it, making it difficult for your body to use insulin effectively. This can lead to a buildup of both sugar and triglycerides in the blood.
Fortunately, setting a regular eating pattern can help prevent insulin resistance and high triglycerides. For instance, research shows that not eating breakfast can lead to decreased insulin sensitivity .
An American Heart Association statement suggested that irregular eating patterns seemed less likely to achieve healthy cardiometabolic levels. They recommended intentional eating at regular times .
However, the evidence is mixed when it comes to meal frequency.
A 2013 study demonstrated that eating three meals per day significantly decreased triglycerides compared with eating six meals per day (
36 ).
Regardless of how many meals youre eating daily, eating regular meals can improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood triglyceride levels.
Summary
While studies are mixed on how meal frequency affects blood triglyceride levels, research suggests that sticking to a regular meal pattern can decrease many heart disease risk factors and prevent insulin resistance.
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Foods That Could Help Lower Triglycerides
Chances are, you’ve heard that having healthy triglyceride levels in your blood is important. But what exactly are triglycerides, and how do they work in your body? And when you have high levels, is it possible to manage them with lifestyle, and can food make a difference? The good news is, according to food and health pros, what you eat can help. We’ve rounded up some of the foods that can lower triglycerides, and there are plenty of whole foods on the list.
Fishes Rich In Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids are a blessing to the body to reduce triglyceride and LDL and enhance HDL levels. It is responsible for stabilizing heart health. Several fishes contain omega 3 fatty acids and can lower the triglyceride in the blood. It is advisable to add at least 8 ounces of omega3 fatty acids to the diet thrice a week to stay healthy and lower the triglycerides. The fishes rich in triglycerides are-
- Salmon
- Walnut oil
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Choose Healthy Fats Over Saturated Fats
Another way to lower triglycerides and cholesterol naturally is by eating healthy fats. Omega-3 fatty acids lower triglycerides and bad cholesterol by increasing fat metabolism, according to the AHA. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in oily fish, such as salmon and herring, olive oil, and dietary supplements. For people with high triglycerides, the AHA recommends prescription-strength omega-3 fatty acid supplements at a dose of 4 grams per day, although its still best to get it from foods. Saturated fats, which come mainly from meat sources, should be limited to no more than 5 to 6 percent of your total daily calories, and your daily intake of cholesterol should be no more than 300 mg, according to the AHA.
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:
- Sucrose
Natural sugars, when eaten in excess, can also raise your triglyceride level.
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A Little Fatty Fish Goes A Long Way
- Fatty fish is rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which have a significant effect on cardiovascular health. The essential fatty acids work to lower the levels of triglycerides in the blood.
- The consumption of mackerel, tuna, sardines, herring, and salmon can preserve the healthy functioning of the heart by bringing down the triglycerides and cholesterol concentrations in the bloodstream.
Know The Dangers Of Trans Fats
Trans fats are dangerous for your heart, because they raise low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The chief culprit youll see on product labels is partially hydrogenated oil. Trans fats are the result of adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to increase shelf life. This may make some baked and fried foods taste better, but trans fats are very unhealthy, particularly for people with high triglycerides. In fact, trans fats should make up less than 1 percent of your total calories, according to the World Health Organization. Check your food labels: If a food contains trans fats or hydrogenated oils, leave it on the shelf.
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Reducing Triglycerides Naturally Supplements Vs Diet
Nutrients taken into the body can have a dramatic effect on reducing triglycerides. This is so true in fact that many people are able to completely avoid the use of medications used to treat triglycerides too high condition to be considered safe merely by diet and exercise alone. There are many nutrients that positively affect the level of these fats in the blood, and they can be obtained from whole food sources, supplements and even prescriptions. Which one is best greatly depends on the type of nutrient that is being used in conjunction with exercise to lower triglycerides levels.
Vitamin E is one of a couple vitamins for triglycerides. Vitamin E helps to reduce the generation of both cholesterol and triglycerides in the body, as suggested by studies. There are many natural sources of vitamin E including spinach, swiss chard and mustard greens. And, they are all full of these vitamins for triglycerides. However, while there are numerous good reasons to load up on vitamin e rich greens, their content alone may not prove potent enough to stave off elevated levels of the blood fats. But, while a plate of wilted spinach and other vitamin e rich greens may not prove instantly effective at reducing triglycerides, the vitamin e contained therein can help over time, and also assist with weight loss be serving as a healthy side dish substitute.
References:
Ask Your Doctor About Natural Supplements
Several natural supplements could have the potential to lower blood triglycerides. Always speak with your doctor before starting any supplements, as they can interact with other medications.
Note especially that the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate supplements in the same way as it regulates pharmaceuticals, and supplement quality can vary widely.
Below are a few of the main supplements that have been studied:
- Fish oil. Well known for its potent effects on heart health, fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to decrease triglycerides and several other risk factors for heart disease (
- ).
Summary
Several supplements have been studied for their ability to lower triglyceride levels, including fish oil, fenugreek, garlic extract, guggul, and curcumin.
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Reduction Of Or Total Removal Of Trans Fat From Meals
Trans fatty acids are the end products of the solidification of vegetable oils by the addition of hydrogen molecules. The two types of trans-fat are natural and industrial trans-fat.
Natural trans fat is found in animal products like milk and they occur in small quantities. Artificial trans-fat, however, are produced industrially when hydrogen is added to liquid oils to solidify them.
Trans fat adds more flavor and texture to processed foods. It is also used to fry foods and meats.
Trans fat has been known to raise the LDL levels and lower the HDL levels in the blood. The presence of trans fat in the blood increases the possibility of a stroke or cardiovascular disease.
Significance Of Triglyceride Levels
When blood lipids are elevated, it increases the risk of certain disease and disorders. Many studies have provided considerable evidence showing that high triglyceride levels are linked to cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis.
This correlation occurs because high triglyceride levels lead to a buildup of plaque in the arteries. Plaque is a combination of cholesterol, triglyceride fats, calcium, cellular waste, and fibrin .
The buildup of plaque deposits is a major contributor to heart disease, as it inevitably leads to decreased blood flow in the arteries. Not only does it have the potential to narrow blood vessels, plaques may also break off the vessel wall, creating an embolus . The embolus can become lodged in small arteries in the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke respectively. High triglyceride levels may also increase the risk of damage to the pancreas, which is responsible for the production of many hormones, including insulin.
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Causes And Effect Of High Triglycerides
Triglycerides are generally fats present in the blood. They serve as the energy reservoir for the body, when theyre within the normal range. High levels of triglycerides in the blood are associated with increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. This is why it is very important to keep an eye on the level of triglyceride to ensure theyre within the normal range.
The triglyceride level range in the body system is as follow:
Normal Triglyceride: Below 150mg/DL
High Triglyceride: 200-499mg/DL
Very High Triglyceride: Above 500mg/DL.
A simple lipid test would place you in one of the aforementioned categories. If you fall into the good category, such an individual is considered healthy.
Individuals in the borderline high category need to exercise the more and adopt a healthier lifestyle. At this stage, there is no need to take supplement or triglyceride reduction medication. Unless advised by your physician.
People in the high and very high category should consult their physician, as they adopt a healthy lifestyle and explore alternatives to lowering the blood triglyceride level.
Some of the major causes of high triglycerides are obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol, physical inactivity, and certain diseases such as diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver, hypothyroidism, and the use of some medications.
Some foods that lower triglycerides include tuna fish, sardine, brown bread, and a host of wheat whole products.
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The Truth About 4 Popular Heart Health Supplements
Watching your cholesterol levels is a smart idea, especially since one inthree people have high levels of bad cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein. If youre facing an increased risk for high cholesterol and yourestruggling to manage it, you might consider reaching for supplements orother over-the-counter products. But you should think twice before you dothat, saysSeth Martin, M.D., M.H.S., Johns Hopkins cardiologist and co-director of the Advanced LipidDisorders Center.
Some people try supplements instead of prescription medications because they think its a safer way to address health issues, he says. But many of those supplements dont benefit the heart like people think.
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More About The Fatty Fish
The AHA recommends upping the two servings of fish to three if you have high triglycerides. But theres a glitch with relying on fish alone to lower triglycerides: Eating loads of it increases the risk of exposing yourself to possible environmental contaminants such as mercury and PCBs.
To minimize this exposure, pass on the large fish such as shark, fresh tuna, and tilefish. Opt instead for fish lower in the food chain, which tend to be less toxin-laden: Wild salmon, sardines, bluefish, Atlantic mackerel, and herring.
Stents Vs Surgery For Atherosclerosis Treatment
Which is the better treatment for the late stages of atherosclerosis — stents or bypass surgery? Each procedure has advantages and disadvantages.
- Living longer when you have multiple blockages. CABG is the best treatment for extending life in people with multiple severe blockages. CABG has been shown to extend life for patients with several patterns of severe blockages, and is clearly superior to stenting in these cases. Stenting has not been demonstrated to help people live longer.
- Pain relief. Sometimes treatment with drugs can’t control chronic chest pain. Both CABG and stenting provide near-complete relief from angina more than 90% of the time. Angina often returns over time, though, which may lead to future procedures.
- Emergency treatment. During a heart attack, stents are usually better than CABG. Stents can be placed in minutes, without the risks and recovery time of major surgery.
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Eat The Right Foods For You
As weve seen, there are some broad dietary guidelines you can follow to help lower your triglyceride levels.
But our research shows that everyones blood fat responses to the foods they eat are personal, with more than 10 times the difference between some people.
ZOE runs the largest nutritional study of its kind, with over 15,000 participants so far. Based on our studies, weve developed a personalized nutrition program that takes your unique biology into account to help you improve your metabolic health.
Using the latest scientific techniques, the ZOE at-home test analyzes your triglyceride and blood sugar levels after eating, as well as the microbes in your gut.
Based on your results, the ZOE program then gives you advice on the best foods and food combinations for your body and your long-term health goals.
You can take a free quiz to find out more.