In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhat Are Triglycerides?How Many Triglycerides Should You Have?What Are Symptoms of High Triglycerides?What Causes High Triglycerides?What to Do to Help Lower TriglyceridesFAQs
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
What Are Triglycerides?
How Many Triglycerides Should You Have?
What Are Symptoms of High Triglycerides?
What Causes High Triglycerides?
What to Do to Help Lower Triglycerides
FAQs
Triglycerides (a type of fat) circulate in the blood and are used for energy. When you consume more calories than your body needs, your body makes triglycerides and stores them for later use. Having high levels of triglycerides (a form of dyslipidemia) is associated with increased risk for chronic conditions like heart disease, stroke, metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
This article will discuss normal levels of triglycerides, their function, causes of high triglycerides and how to lower them.
Triglyceride levels are considered normal if they areless than 150 millligrams per deciliter. Levels between 150 mg/dL and 199 mg/dL are categorized as “borderline high,” while levels between 200 mg/dL and 499 mg/dL are “high.” Very high levels are 500 mg/dL and higher.
There are typically no symptoms associated with high triglycerides unless they coincide with another condition, such as thyroid disease or diabetes.Very high triglyceride levelsare associated with pancreatitis, which can lead to severe abdominal pain.
Treatment for high triglycerides (depending on your levels) usually starts with behavior modifications. Making changes to your eating habits, moving regularly, getting adequate sleep, managing stress and quitting smoking are all factors that can help improve your triglyceride levels. If your levels are extremely high, your health care provider may recommend treatment in the form of medication.
Foods That Help Lower Triglycerides
Weight loss can help lower triglycerides. In fact,researchhas shown that losing 5% to 10% of your body weight can result in significant reductions in triglycerides, total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL). Foods that are rich in healthy fat, fiber and lean protein can keep you fuller for longer, which can result in weight loss.Fiber-rich foodsthat can help lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels include fruits, vegetables, unsalted nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains. Lean sources of protein, like chicken, turkey, legumes, tofu and lean beef are super filling (thanks to their protein content) and are lower in saturated fat. Pair them with fiber-rich foods for something extra nutritious and satisfying.
In addition,omega-3 fatty acidscan also help to reduce triglycerides. TheAmerican Heart Associationrecommends eating two servings (about 6 ounces total) of fatty fish, such as anchovies, herring, mackerel, black cod, salmon, sardines, bluefin tuna, whitefish, striped bass and cobia, per week. Plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids include walnuts, flaxseed, chia seed, hemp seed, edamame, seaweed and algae.
Foods to Limit
When you consume more calories than you need for energy, your body converts the excess calories to fat in the form of triglycerides. In particular, added sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages can increase triglycerides if consumed in excess. Aim to limit added sugars, sweeteners and sweetened drinks to less than 10% of your daily calories.
Swapping refined carbohydrates for whole grains can help to reduce triglyceride levels as well. Whole grains contain more fiber, and high-fiber foods are digested more slowly, which improves feelings of fullness and satiety. Plus, fiber helps to pull “bad” (aka LDL) cholesterol out of the body. Youdon’t need to avoid carbohydratesaltogether, but focusing on choosingcomplex carbohydratesinstead and enjoying them in moderate portions can help.
Excess amounts of alcohol, and foods with saturated and trans fat can alsocontribute to high triglycerides.Synthetic trans fat comes in the form of partially hydrogenated oil. TheFood and Drug Administrationbanned the use of partially hydrogenated oil in 2018; however, some foods may still contain small amounts. Read labels and avoid foods made with partially hydrogenated oils when you can, or enjoy them sparingly.
Saturated fatsare primarily found in highly processed meats, full-fat dairy products, butter and fried foods. Reducing your intake of these foods opens up room to enjoy more nutrient-dense foods, while lowering your intake of saturated fat and sodium. In addition, try to limit your intake of fried foods to helplower your trans fat intake.
Lifestyle Factors
Elevated triglycerides are often combined with other lifestyle factors that can increase the risk of developing a chronic disease. Elevated triglyceride levels—along with increased waist circumference, elevated fasting blood sugar, elevated blood pressure andlow levels of “good” (aka HDL) cholesterol—can increase the risk ofmetabolic syndrome, heart disease and diabetes.
The first step to improving your heart health—including lowering your triglycerides—is to make healthy lifestyle changes that you can sustain for the long term. Dietary changes, increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior, stress management, better sleep, smoking cessation and weight loss (when indicated) are all factors that can help improve triglycerides and heart health.
Creating goals that are realistic and fit into your lifestyle can help you make long-lasting and consistent changes, and ultimately will benefit your health the most. Aim to start with a just a couple of changes at a time, and add more as the changes become more like habits. For example, if you don’t exercise at all, you may consider walking 10 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Build on that goal weekly, with the ultimate goal to achieveat least 150 minutes per weekof moderate-intensity physical activity, plus muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days per week.
The2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americansrecommends limiting added sugar to less than 10% of daily calories. For someone who consumes 2,000 calories per day, this would equate to 200 calories or 50 grams of added sugar per day. For reference, 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar contains4 grams of sugarand one 12-ounce cola contains39 grams of added sugar.If you drink several cups of coffee with sugar each day, this can add up. To reduce your intake, try using half of the sugar you typically would, and then one-third the following week and so on, until you get to a place where your added sugar intake is more in line with the recommendations.
Nutrition goals should be individualized and take into consideration factors like your health history, specific labs, lifestyle, culture, food preferences and nutrition goals. Reach out to your health care provider or registered dietitian for more specific guidance.
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The Bottom Line
We need some triglycerides for energy, but high levels of triglycerides are one risk factor for heart disease. If your triglyceride levels are above the normal range (150 mg/dL and above), it’s important for you to learn why your triglyceride levels are high and to create anindividualized plan for lowering them.
Depending on your levels, treatment usually starts with making dietary and lifestyle changes. Meeting with a registered dietitian can assist you in creating a heart-healthy eating plan that meets your nutrition- and health-related goals. An individualized eating plan can help you understand how certain foods affect triglycerides—and can reduce stress when it comes to meal planning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, added sugar and alcohol can increase triglycerides. This includes highly processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, baked goods and fried foods, to name a few.
No, it is not the same, but understanding your levels of both can help to determine your risk for heart disease. A lipid panel will test triglycerides and cholesterol levels at the same time.
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