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Relationship Between Sugar Alcohol & Triglycerides

Alcohol and triglycerides do not mix, so to speak. Alcohol (ethanol) is broken down into sugar and becomes triglycerides (fat). In some sensitive people, even limited intake of alcohol can really shoot up triglyceride levels. Drinks made with soft drinks, sweet syrups or multiple mixers can add their negative impact on your health.

  1. Alcohol Processing

    • When alcohol is consumed, it is the body's priority to process and get rid of it. So the liver processes alcohol before other metabolic functions and can only process so much at a time. According to the website, ReduceTriglycerides.com, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that fat (triglyceride) metabolism slows down by at least 30 percent when alcohol is in your blood.

    Sugar & Triglycerides

    • If you eat excess calories especially sugar, it is stored as triglycerides. This will translate to more body fat and a strain on body processes. Total sugar intake needs to be less than 8 percent of total caloric intake, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

    Triglycerides

    • Triglycerides are essentially stored fats. Too many of them elevate cholesterol since triglyceride levels are one component of total cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends that triglyceride levels stay lower than 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl).

    Reducing Triglycerides

    • You can decrease triglyceride levels by limiting your intake of foods high in sugar and fat, exercising on a regular basis and limiting your alcohol consumption.

    Alcohol Intake and Triglycerides

    • The Cleveland Clinic suggests that men have two (or fewer) drinks per day while women only consume one. An alcohol serving is 12 ounces of beer, 3 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of liquor. Since consuming alcohol slows down fat metabolism, eating fatty foods like a cheeseburger while drinking can really add to triglyceride levels.

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