Triglycerides 101: Your Guide to Understanding These Essential Fats

A relative just asked me about their triglyceride levels.  She wanted to know what to do if her triglycerides were high.  What are triglycerides?  What does a high level of triglycerides mean for one’s health?  Do we get triglycerides from food?  Does our body need triglycerides?

What are triglycerides?

Triglycerides are a fat that circulates in your blood and is the most common fat in your body.  After you eat a meal, you burn up some of the calories from food but your body converts the calories it doesn’t need right away to triglycerides and stores these triglycerides in your fat cells.  If you need energy between meals, your body can release some triglycerides from the fat cells to use for energy. 

What do high triglyceride levels due to our health?

High triglyceride levels in our blood can lead to several health issues including heart disease, stroke and even pancreatitis.  Why?  Too many triglycerides in our blood causes artery walls to thicken which can lead to stroke, heart attack and heart disease.  Very high levels of triglycerides in the blood “can cause acute inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)”.

What levels of triglycerides are considered normal?  High?

When you go to the doctor and they take a blood sample, they often run a “lipid panel” to measure the fats in your blood.  One of the fats they measure is triglycerides.

• Normal   Less than 150 milligrams/deciliter (mg/dL)
• Borderline high 150-199 mg/dL
• High 200-499 mg/dL
• Very high 500 mg/dL or above

Should you fast before you have blood drawn when measuring triglyceride levels? 

Yes, you should fast.  As the Mayo Clinic notes, “You’ll have to fast before blood can be drawn for an accurate triglyceride measurement”.  I was recently at the doctors for a physical.  I had just eaten lunch.  The doctor wanted to take a blood sample to measure my blood sugar and lipid levels.  I told her I had just eaten lunch and knew this would adversely affect my blood sugar levels and triglyceride level.  She then recommended I come back after fasting overnight.  

What foods increase triglyceride levels?

The Cleveland Clinic notes there are “four main dietary culprits that raise your triglycerides”. 

• Alcohol
• Fats – especially saturated fats and trans fats.  Deep fried foods, fatty meats like sausage, bacon, full-fat dairy, and shortening.  Instead cook with healthier fats like olive oil, canola oil.  (See:  What are healthy fats?)
• Sugars/sweet foods – sugary foods like candy, cookies, pies, pastries, ice cream, frozen yogurt, milkshakes, pudding, soda, sweetened tea, iced coffee beverages, lemonade, fruit punch, sports drinks, energy drinks.  And items mostly sugar like syrup, honey, jams, jellies.  Look for foods and drinks listing sugars as the first ingredient such as high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, fructose, honey.  (See:  How to cut back on soda and other sugar sweetened beverages )
• Simple (refined) carbs – Think White – white bread, white rice, white flour, white spaghetti noodles, white noodles in macaroni and cheese, refined cereals like Rice Krispies, Frosted Flakes. 

Cleveland Clinic has some suggestions on changes to make to lower triglyceride levels with better diet choices.  Instead of giving up foods, substitute a healthier food.  (Chart is adapted from Cleveland Clinic.) 

Instead of:::	Choose…
Soda, pop, fruit drinks, fruit punch, sugary drinks, sweet tea	Choose diet or sugar-free.  If a sugar substitute is used, Stevia is a healthier choice.
Candy, hard candy, candy bars, fruit roll-ups	Choose fresh fruit.  Choose plain yogurt and add your own fruit.
White bread	Choose whole grain bread like Dave’s Killer Bread.
White rice	Brown rice, quinoa
Cheetos, snack chips	Choose whole grain chips like Sunchips, Food Should Taste Good chips, Skinnypop

Conclusion:  Triglycerides are needed for our health and energy management, but maintaining a healthy balance is essential for good health. High levels of triglycerides can pose significant health risks, including heart disease and pancreatitis.  By choosing a heart-healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and regular exercise, you can keep your triglyceride levels in check and safeguard your health.  To help control triglyceride levels, eat a heart-healthy diet low in saturated fats and sugars but high in fiber.  Understanding these essential fats is a step to a healthier future.  

Sources:  eat , levels , triglycerides ,  Mayo Clinic ,  What are healthy fats? , Sugars , sweet foods , How to cut back on soda and other sugar sweetened beverages , Cleveland Clinic , Dave’s Killer Bread  Image Sources:  triglycerides , Sunchips , Simple vs complex carbs