If you are suffering high triglyceride levels, this can be a risk factor for various health conditions including heart disease. However, you should know “how to lower triglyceride levels?” So, avoiding of limiting the foods which contains saturated fats, high amount of sugar, refined carbohydrates, excessive alcohol and Trans fats. Besides, a regular exercise and other dietary changes, may help lower your levels.
This article reviews how to lower triglyceride levels by different types of foods, types of diets and changes in lifestyle habits.
What are triglycerides and what is their role in the body?
Triglyceride is a type of blood fat that accumulates in fat cells in the body. After eating a diet, the body converts the calories that are not needed into triglycerides, which it stores in fat cells for later use. Triglycerides are the body’s main source of energy. If the body doesn’t need the energy immediately, the triglycerides are stored as fat.
Its primary function is to fuel the body, especially during periods of high energy demand. High levels of triglycerides in the blood can lead to a person’s health risk in many areas, such as obesity and pancreatitis. It can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other health problems. Causes of high triglyceride levels may include certain medical conditions, medications, lifestyle choices, and genetics.
What is healthy levels of triglyceride?
Triglycerides are an essential energy supply for your body, and also having excess triglycerides in your blood may increase your risk of heart disease. Following are guideline of triglyceride levels for adults in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL):
If a person have fasting blood triglyceride levels are consistently 150 mg/dl or higher, doctors mention to high blood triglycerides as hypertriglyceridemia. Some factors may contribute to high blood triglyceride levels, like fatness or unmanaged diabetes, frequently drinking alcohol, and consuming a high calorie diet.
How to lower high Triglyceride levels?
High Triglyceride levels can be lowered through a number of methods, some of them are as below.
A. Change in lifestyle habits:
1. Regular Exercise –
If you have high triglycerides this is the time to start exercising. Exercise is a reliable way to reduce triglycerides, especially when you include it in your weight loss program. Exercise increases your body’s ability to break down sugar, which reduces the amount of glucose in your blood that your body converts into triglycerides. Numerous studies have shown that regular aerobic exercise helps lower triglycerides in those with heart disease, and generally recommends at least a 30 minute moderate-intensity exercise session five days per week.
Generally, any form of exercise can help lower triglyceride levels, and may even increase levels of good cholesterol. However, some research has shown that daily exercise of a higher intensity for a shorter duration is more effective than moderate exercise over a longer period of time.
2. Control your weight –
To keep your body weight and triglycerides in check, you need to eat healthy calories and get rid of extra calories. Overweight makes it harder for your body to break down sugar and other carbs, which can result in high triglycerides. If you eat more calories than you need, your body will convert those extra calories to triglycerides and store them in your fat cells.
You need to keep up with your daily activity and calorie intake until your body is burning as many calories as you are consuming. To do this, you need to have a nutritious diet and a healthy lifestyle. It is recommended to lose 5 – 10% of your body weight, which is enough to significantly reduce your triglycerides, after following your doctor’s advice.
3. Limit alcohol intake –
Several studied found that avoidance of too much alcohol intake is part of a heart-healthy lifestyle. Alcohol beverages are quite high in sugar, carbs, and calories, and these can be converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells, if these calories not used. Excess alcohol may also affect your liver, which can hinder with your capability to metabolize fat. Generally, one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men, may expressively raise your triglyceride levels.
Therefore, most researchers suggests that consume moderate alcohol doesn’t increase triglyceride levels, but excessive drinking does. Further, it helps in reducing risk of heart disease.
B. Change is eating habits:
1. Select healthy fats over saturated fats –
The best way to naturally reduce triglycerides and cholesterol is to eat healthy fats. Eating foods high in monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and omega-3 fatty acids can help lower blood triglyceride levels and replace carbohydrates in your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in oily fish (salmon, herring, and other oily fish), as well as in olive oil and dietary supplements.
Some studies have shown that consuming saturated fat may raise blood triglycerides, whereas consuming polyunsaturated fat helps in lowering blood triglyceride levels. To get the most benefit from triglyceride reduction, choose and use heart-healthy fats such as olive oil and replace them with other types of fats in your diet, such as Trans fats and highly processed vegetable oils.
2. Avoid excess sugar –
Although sugar has a sweet flavor, it has little nutritional value. It also increases your triglyceride levels and adds empty calories to your food. Eating or drinking too much simple sugars, such as alcohol, refined grains and added sugar, can raise your triglyceride levels by 50% more than those who did not consume them regularly. This is because when you eat sugary foods it is easy to consume more calories than you need.
The excess calories will turn into triglycerides which can cause serious problems. For example, researchers found that people who consumed 25 percent of calories from sugar had twice the chance of dying from heart disease compared to those who ate sugar significantly less. To reduce your triglyceride and cholesterol levels naturally, limit sugar intake, such as candy, sweetened beverages, cookies and pastries, and avoid high-fat foods. The American Heart Association recommends that women consume 6 teaspoons of added sugar daily and men 9 teaspoons.
3. Begin a regular meal plan –
A few studies have shown that eating 3 meals a day significantly reduces triglycerides compared to eating irregularly, fewer or more meals a day. Eating regular meals can also help you become insulin sensitive and may lower your blood triglycerides. After eating a meal, the pancreas sends a signal to release insulin into your bloodstream. Insulin is responsible for transporting glucose to your cells for use as energy.
If your blood has too much insulin, your body may become resistant to insulin, making it difficult to use insulin effectively. This can lead to a build-up of both glucose and triglyceride levels in your blood. Therefore, following a regular eating schedule can help you avoid insulin resistance, high triglycerides and can reduce many risk factors for heart disease.
4. Avoid trans fats –
Trans fats are harmful to your heart because they raise your triglyceride levels and lower your LDL or bad cholesterol levels. Trans fats are made by mixing hydrogen with liquid vegetable oils to extend their shelf life and improve the taste of many commercially fried and baked foods. They may also be found in small amounts in many animal products. Because of their inflammatory properties, Trans fats have been linked to a variety of health issues, including heart disease, and increasing LDL or bad cholesterol.
Therefore, limiting your intake of highly processed and fried foods can help reduce your Trans fat intake. Additionally, replacing your Trans fats with a polyunsaturated fat in your daily diet could help reduce your triglyceride levels.
5. Consume low carbohydrate –
If you want to lower your triglycerides, avoid refined carbohydrates, such as baked foods. Instead, try to eat more raw, high-fiber carbohydrates, like vegetables, beans, whole grains, and whole wheat pasta and brown rice. Eating fruits can also help you reduce your sugar cravings, unlike high-sugar foods. Carbons come from plant foods and are the primary source of energy for many people’s diets. Processed foods, like white bread, rice and pasta, are made by removing the outer grain and turning them into sugar more easily.
Eating whole-grain foods instead of processed foods can help reduce your triglyceride levels, and a low carb diet can lead to a significant reduction in your blood triglyceride levels.
6. Eat more fiber –
Fibers are beneficial for your health. Eating more fiber in your diet reduces the absorption of fats and sugars in your small intestine and helps lower your blood triglyceride levels. Some studies suggest that eating more fiber in someone who is overweight or obese may lower their triglyceride levels and help improve their overall health. If you eat a high fiber cereal with a breakfast that is high in fat reduction post-meal, your triglyceride levels will increase by 50%. Fiber can be found in: whole grains nuts seeds vegetables legumes cereals fruit some foods also contain fiber.
C. Foods that can help lower triglycerides:
1. Eat oily fish –
Fatty fish or omega-3 fatty acids are well known for its benefits on heart health and capability to lower blood triglycerides. They have important polyunsaturated fatty acids that the body cannot make, however this must be consumed through diet only.
A person should consume two servings of oily fish a week to reduce their risk for heart disease and stroke. One study found that eating salmon twice a week can help decrease blood triglycerides. Omega-3 fatty acids are high in Salmon, tuna, sardines, and mackerel.
2. Add soy protein to your diet –
Adding soy foods in your daily diet seem to have a positive effect on cholesterol and triglycerides, because they contain isoflavones, plant compounds that with numerous health benefits. However they are widely recognized for its role in lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol, and to reduce blood triglyceride levels. Several studies found that steady intake of soy protein may significantly lower triglyceride levels in postmenopausal women. Soy protein may be found in soy milk, soybeans (edamame), tofu, and tempeh. Therefore consuming soy protein instead of animal protein can help reduce blood triglycerides.
3. Eat more tree nuts –
Tree nuts contain several heart-healthy nutrients, which includes fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and unsaturated fats. They all help together to lower blood triglycerides. Few studies suggest that eating 3–7 servings of tree nuts per week can help reduce blood triglycerides. Tree nuts may include walnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios and many more.
4. Vegetarian diet –
Several studies found that consumption of a vegetarian diet regularly may help decrease low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level. However, a well-planned, nutritious diet –– vegetarian or otherwise can plays a role in maintaining a healthy body.
Example meal plan:
The following is an example meal plan that may help people lower their triglyceride levels.
| Breakfast | Lunch | Snack | Dinner | |
| Option 1 | Porridge with low fat milk or plant milk, topped with pumpkin seeds and berries | Sardines on whole grain toast with a portion of salad greens | A banana, some almonds | Butternut squash and tofu curry served with cauliflower rice |
| Option 2 | A buckwheat pancake with blueberries and low fat yogurt | Spinach, avocado, tomato, and hummus salad | Celery sticks and nut butter | Vegetable and bean chili served with steamed kale |
| Option 3 | Salmon, a poached egg, and watercress on a slice of whole grain rye bread | Lentil and vegetable soup with oatcakes | A boiled egg and whole grain pita slices | Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with brown rice |
What are the natural supplements to lower triglyceride levels?
There are several natural supplements may have the possible to lower blood triglycerides. These supplements are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), like others pharmaceuticals, and supplements. However, always better to speak with your doctor before starting any supplements.
Below are a few of the main supplements that may provide benefits:
- Curcumin may cause a substantial drop in triglyceride and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
- Fenugreek used to encourage milk production, and its seeds have also been shown to be effective at decreasing blood triglycerides.
- Fish oil has powerful effects on heart health, and is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which helps to decline triglycerides and several other risk factors for heart disease.
- Vitamin D supplementation can also help reduce complete triglyceride levels.
- Guggul herbal supplement could be as effective as reducing triglyceride levels.
- Garlic extract may help decrease triglyceride levels because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
Conclusion:
Change in dietary and lifestyle can make a major impact on your triglyceride levels. To stay healthy plan a few strategies that can help lower your blood triglycerides, such as select unsaturated fats instead of Trans fats, reducing intake of carbohydrates and added sugars, and daily exercising. With these few simple lifestyle dietary modifications, you can improve your overall health at the same time. You need experiment with a few of the tips listed above and steadily incorporating other strategies into your routine to make more lifelong, sustainable changes that are easier to stick to.
You need to acknowledge thatelevated triglycerides is an important health issue, and managing your levels is a significant component of preventing heart disease. It is suggested to consult with your doctor before changing your diet plan or supplements.
FAQ
How can I lower my triglycerides through diet and lifestyle changes?
To reduce triglycerides, focus on eating a healthy, heart-healthy diet with lots of whole foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean proteins. Cut down on refined sugars, saturated and trans fats, which can increase your triglyceride levels. Exercise regularly helps to manage your triglycerides by improving your insulin sensitivity and lowering the amount of fat in your bloodstream. Losing weight and cutting down on alcohol are also important parts of a complete approach to lowering your triglycerides through lifestyle changes.
How are triglyceride levels measured, and what is considered normal?
A simple blood test is used to measure triglyceride levels after fasting. Generally, triglyceride levels in the normal range are less than 150 mg/dL. Anything above 150 mg/dL may put you at risk for cardiovascular problems and may require lifestyle changes or medical treatment.
What are the causes of high triglyceride levels in the blood?
High blood triglyceride levels can be caused by a variety of things. Eating a high-fructose diet, drinking too much alcohol, being overweight, and not getting enough exercise can all lead to high triglyceride levels. Some medical conditions, such as diabetes, low blood pressure, and kidney disease, can also affect the balance of triglyceride levels in your blood.
What is the relationship between triglycerides and heart health?
Triglycerides play a major role in cardiovascular health. High levels of triglyceride in the blood are linked to a higher risk of heart disease. When triglyceride levels are too high, they can build up in the arteries and cause atherosclerosis, a type of fatty build-up that can lead to heart attack and stroke. High triglyceride levels are also linked to other risk factors, such as obesity and diabetes, as well as high blood pressure. All of these factors can have a knock-on effect on your cardiovascular health. Lifestyle changes, such as eating right, exercising regularly, and controlling your weight, can help lower your triglyceride levels and reduce your risk of heart complications.
Reference used:
https://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/ss/slideshow-triglycerides-tips
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-ways-to-lower-triglycerides
https://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health-pictures/why-triglyceride-levels-matter.aspx
https://greatist.com/health/how-to-lower-triglycerides#how-to-lower-triglycerides-naturally
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/high-triglycerides-diet
