Triglycerides are the form in which fat moves through the bloodstream to your body's tissues. Whenever your LDL ("bad") cholesterol is measured, triglycerides are checked, too. At present, triglyceride levels lower than 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) are considered normal and levels above 200 mg/dL are considered too high.
High triglyceride levels can be genetic, but dietary influences are strong, and refined carbohydrates in the diet are the main factor boosting triglyceride levels in the blood. This is especially true for quick-digesting (high glycemic load) carbs. In many people, these foods elevate insulin levels, and insulin affects both triglyceride synthesis and the storage of fat.
I recommend the following lifestyle changes to help keep your serum triglyceride levels down in the desirable range:
Get regular exercise
Lose weight if you're overweight
Reduce the amount of saturated fats and trans fat in your diet
Cut back on alcohol, avoiding beer especially (even small amounts of alcohol can elevate triglyceride level)
Increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids by eating salmon, sardines, black cod, and herring on a regular basis
Maintain a diet that's low in processed carbohydrates, such as my anti-inflammatory diet, and familiarize yourself with the concept of glycemic load, which can help you choose carbohydrate foods that rank low on that scale
Something that's been on my mind a lot over the past couple of years is the meaning of fasting triglycerides in the context of a low carbohydrate diet. Many, myself included, tend to look at fasting triglycerides and HDL as more important biomarkers and these two both tend to improve rather greatly on a low carbohydrate diet. But I've always wondered if the reduced triglycerides of LC really indicate a "reduced risk" compared to the generally higher fasting triglycerides of healthy people eating a higher carbohydrate diet.
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