|  | Conditions Treatments | Cholesterol

High Cholesterol & Triglycerides Diet

Triglycerides are present in the blood, and high triglycerides are often associated with high cholesterol. High levels of each are dangerous because they have no obvious, outward symptoms. While many factors contribute to high cholesterol, your diet is actually one factor you can control in the battle to lower your cholesterol. With a healthy diet plan, you can begin lowering these numbers now.

  1. Reduce Fat

    • Saturated fat raises your low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and triglycerides more than anything else you will eat, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Trans fat and cholesterol are next, which is why you should limit these items. You should consume 200 mg or less of cholesterol per day. No more than 7 percent of your daily calories should come from saturated fat. If you eat 1,500 calories per day, you should have no more than 10 g of saturated fat. On an 1,800-calorie diet, you shouldn't have more than 12 g of fat. Keep your total fat content for one day between 25 to 35 percent of total calories. Trans fats are especially bad for raising cholesterol and triglycerides and you should keep this number as low as possible. Most nutrition labels will list trans fat. You can double-check for trans fat by looking for shortening or hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, which usually indicates trans fat, according to the NHLBI.

    Increase Fresh Foods and Fiber

    • Include six or more servings of cereal, grains or breads, three to five servings of vegetables, two to four servings of fruit per day and two to three servings of fat-free or low-fat dairy products. Fiber helps reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, according to the Mayo Clinic. You can also include 10 to 25 g of soluble fiber in your diet. Beans and lentils provide healthy servings of fiber. Eat fruits instead of drinking fruit juice; whole fruit has more fiber than fruit juice.

    Include Other Healthy Habits

    • Eat fish once a week. Instead of frying foods, grill, bake or broil them. Trim any excess fat you see from meat. Remove skin from chicken. Don't use much butter, margarine, salad dressing or sour cream. Limit sugar. When eating away from home, look for hidden fats that can hide in dressing and desserts. Add small portions of walnuts and almonds to your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids also have cholesterol-and triglycerides lowering effects. Also be watchful of portion sizes in restaurants, recommends the Mayo Clinic.

    Read Labels

    • Labels offer valuable information when it comes to eating right for lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels. When something is labeled fat free, it has less than .5 g per serving. Low saturated fat means 1 g or less per serving. Low fat means 3 g or less, and reduced fat means 25 percent less fat per serving. Light means the serving has half the fat that an ordinary serving contains. Low cholesterol is 20 mg or less and 2 g or less of saturated fat preserving. If something is labeled lean, it has less than 10 g of fat and less than 95 mg of cholesterol per serving. Extra lean means less than 5 g of saturated fat and less than 95 mg of cholesterol per serving.

Cholesterol - Related Articles