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What are Triglycerides?
Triglycerides can have a major impact on your health, but exactly what are triglycerides?
Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood. Triglycerides are an important source of energy for the
body and the most common type of fat in the body.
When foods or beverages are consumed, the body converts any calories it doesn't need to use right away into
triglycerides and stores them in fat cells to be used for energy at a later time.
All excess calories are stored in fat cells this way, regardless of if the calories come from fats, carbohydrates
or proteins.
Triglycerides are sometimes confused with cholesterol because they're both lipids (fatty substances) that
circulate in the blood, but triglycerides and cholesterol are separate types of lipids.
In normal amounts triglycerides are important to good health, but high triglycerides increase the risk for
heart disease and stroke. High triglycerides are also part of a group of conditions called
metabolic syndrome.
Your triglyceride level is measured by a blood test called a lipid profile. A lipid profile shows your
triglyceride level, total cholesterol level, HDL (good) cholesterol level, and LDL (bad) cholesterol level.
Your triglyceride level will fall into one of four categories:
- Normal: less than 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL)
- Borderline High: 150–199 mg/dL
- High: 200–499 mg/dL
- Very High: 500 mg/dL
Common causes of high triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia) are being overweight or obese, being physically
inactive, having a diet high in simple carbohydrates, and consuming excess alcohol.
The best way to lower or prevent high triglycerides is through healthy lifestyle choices:
Lose weight if you're overweight or obese. The more weight you lose the better chance you have for
lowering your triglyceride level.
Eat small meals. Eating small meals and snacks throughout the day instead of two or three large meals
is an effective way to lower or prevent high triglycerides.
Eat good fats. Omega-3 fatty acids are very effective at lowering
or preventing high triglycerides. Limit your consumption of saturated fat and trans fat.
Limit simple carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates can cause a sudden increase in blood sugar level and
insulin production, which can lead to high triglycerides.
Limit alcohol. Alcohol is high in calories and sugar and has a particularly potent effect on triglycerides.
Even small amounts of alcohol can promote high triglycerides.
Exercise on a regular basis. Both aerobic exercise and strength training can help lower or prevent high
triglycerides.
In conclusion, your triglyceride level is important and it needs to be considered along with other health measures
such as cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and percentage of body fat.
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