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If you’ve been told you have high triglycerides, you may be wondering how important this is and what you can do to improve your numbers. While lifestyle changes such as regular exercise are a very important part of managing your triglycerides, this post will discuss more specifically foods to avoid with high triglycerides and what you can eat instead.
Quick disclaimer—although I am a registered dietitian nutritionist, your reading of this or any articles on this website does not constitute medical nutrition therapy advice nor create a practitioner-client relationship. The information I provide here on this website is for educational and informational purposes only. Please see my full disclaimer for more information.
Background on Triglycerides
If you’ve had your lipid panel labs drawn at any point in time, you’ve most likely come across the familiar lab terms that everyone seems to talk about: total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. While triglycerides are drawn as part of the lipid panel, they’re not exactly the same as cholesterol.
Side note: if you want to learn more about foods that can improve your cholesterol levels, check out my posts about viscous fiber and breakfast foods to help improve cholesterol levels.
Triglycerides are, in basic terms, a kind of storage unit for the digested fat that we eat. Our bodies can use triglycerides for energy as needed.1
Triglycerides in your bloodstream are a normal part of your body’s metabolism, but sometimes the amount of them can get too high. This can be caused in part by dietary choices (what you’re eating and how much), certain lifestyle factors, or sometimes genetics and/or medical conditions.1
In addition to taking a look at what you’re eating (see the rest of this post below), it may be wise to speak to your healthcare professional about other lifestyle modifications that can help you lower your triglyceride levels.
Foods That May Contribute to High Triglyceride Levels
As we move on to foods that may not be as helpful to your triglyceride levels,2 keep in mind also that amounts of these foods you eat can make a difference. The more energy we consume, especially if it is greater than the amount of energy we use up each day, the greater the opportunity for triglycerides to form.
Small amounts of these foods occasionally may not be problematic, but if these foods are regular parts of your day/week and make up a good portion of the food you’re eating, you may want to work on adjusting your intake of these foods to help improve your labs.
Foods and Beverages High in Added Sugar
Many of these items items high in added sugar also have more calories and less nutritional benefit.
- Cakes, cookies, donuts, pastries, pies
- Regular ice creams, other frozen treats
- Candies, chocolates, sugary gum and mints
- Regular soda pop, energy drinks, sweetened coffee/tea beverages, some commercial smoothies and other fruit drinks
- Certain sauces, salad dressings, marinades, condiments like ketchup, sweetened dips, jams and jellies, syrups
- Other sweet snack foods and sweetened cereals
Refined Carbohydrates
A quick note–while refined carbohydrates can still have a place in your eating plan, just remember that if you’re struggling with high triglycerides, it may be wiser to keep these items as a smaller part of your daily intake.
- White bread, white rolls and biscuits, regular pasta, white rice
- Cereals with minimal amounts of whole grain or a low fiber amount (0-2 grams)
- Some convenience type items like frozen pizzas, potstickers, burritos with a white flour tortilla, etc.
Foods High in Saturated Fat
Similarly to the foods in the prior two categories, it would be beneficial for your triglycerides to limit how much extra saturated fat you’re getting from some of the following foods:
- Fattier cuts of meat, such as those with marbling or visible areas of fat or lower percentage of lean on the label (like 80% lean)
- Chicken/turkey with the skin on
- Coconut oil
- Full fat dairy products (although this may not be as significant based upon current research)
- Many kinds of fast foods and fried foods
Alcohol
Alcohol in any form may not help—talk to your healthcare professional for more details.
Foods That Can Help Lower Your Triglyceride Levels
Now that we’ve discussed some foods that may not be as great for your triglycerides, let’s dive in to what will be helpful!3,4 Do keep in mind that portion size for these items matters too.
Healthy Fats
Note that some of these items are also high in fiber, which may beneficially impact triglyceride levels.
- Unsalted nuts and seeds (aim for about 1/4 cup portion several times per week)
- Unsalted (or low sodium) nut and seed butters (1-2 Tbsp)
- Avocado (1/4-1/2 of a medium avocado)
- Certain plant oils like olive oil, avocado oil, canola oil
- Fatty fish (source of omega-3 fatty acids) like salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, anchovies, tuna
Fiber-Containing Foods
Fiber containing foods are a wonderful way to help improve the lipid profile. Those especially full of viscous fiber can help manage cholesterol levels and triglycerides.
- Legumes
- Vegetables of all kinds, but do try to incorporate more non-starchy than starchy
- Fruit (aim for whole fruit, and about 2-3 portions per day)
- Whole grains (try to keep portions in check)
It’s important to note that portion sizes of these items do matter. If you’re having 2 or 3 times the serving size on the label just because a food has fiber in it, you may be going overboard. Remember, how much energy you take in from any food does matter in the overall picture.
Lean Proteins
Choosing lean proteins can help to keep the saturated fat content of your meal lower, which can help to prevent excess triglycerides being formed.3
- Poultry with the skin off
- Lean meats (minimal marbling, fat trimmed off, higher percentage lean like 90% if choosing ground meat)
- Lower fat dairy
- Egg whites or a few whole eggs per week
Don’t forget to manage portions as well—a tip to try is aiming for a lean protein portion that’s about the size of the palm of your hand (not including your fingers or thumb).
Conclusion
As we conclude our discussion on triglycerides, I hope you’ve seen that what you eat can definitely make a difference in your lab work. If your triglycerides are high, I would encourage you to begin working on some of the strategies we’ve discussed here.
Don’t forget to talk to your healthcare professionals for more direction and personalization of a plan that’s right for you. If you need help finding a dietitian, check out this resource: https://www.eatright.org/find-a-nutrition-expert
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Sources
- Lua-Castillo KP, Olivares-Ochoa XC, Hernandez-Ruiz RG, et. al. The effect of dietary interventions on hypertriglyceridemia: from public health to molecular nutrition evidence. Nutrients. 2022;14(5):1104. doi: 10.3390/nu14051104.
- Maki KC, Palacios OM, Lindner E, et. al. Replacement of refined starches and added sugars with egg protein and unsaturated fats increases insulin sensitivity and lowers triglycerides in overweight or obese adults with elevated triglycerides. J Nutr. 2017;147(7):1267-1274. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316622162942#bib37.
- Kirkpatrick CF, Sikand G, Petersen KS, et. al. Nutrition interventions for adults with dyslipidemia: a clinical perspective from the National Lipid Association. J Clin Lipidol. 2023;17(4):P428-451. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacl.2023.05.099.
- Virani SS, Morris PB, Agarwala A, et. al. 2021 ACC expert consensus decision pathway on the management of ASCVD risk reduction in patients with persistent hypertriglyceridemia: a report of the American College of Cardiology solution set oversight committee. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2021;78(9):960-993. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109721053237?via%3Dihub.
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