Foods to Lower Triglycerides

Before we get into the issue and list of foods to lower triglycerides, we need to understand what the whole deal about triglycerides is anyway. What are triglycerides? And why do we need to lower them? Okay, so you've heard of cholesterol, correct? Like how high levels of it are bad for the heart and can lead to a stoke or an attack? Here's something new, triglycerides work in that same way! They are harmful for the heart health as well and therefore a threat to us. Let's get into a little more detail about these harmful substances and then go on to give you some foods to lower triglycerides naturally. We will also tackle the question about why food is a viable solution to this problem.

What are Triglycerides?
Triglycerides are the fats that are found in the foods that we eat. What are the causes of high triglycerides? Things like butter, oil and cheese which have a high fat content are all in the triglyceride form and an excess intake of the same will lead to an increase in the triglyceride levels. It has been studied that high levels of triglycerides are more harmful than cholesterol and increase the chances of a cardiac arrest up to 3 times than cholesterol would. What adds to the threat is the fact that the fat content from the food is stored in the triglyceride form and stored in the form of fat cells all over the body, it is not discarded. Therefore it increases the risk even further. 

The Importance of Foods to Lower Triglyceride Levels
So now we know that there is a need to lower triglyceride levels in the body, but how is one to do that? There are several forms of medication available for the same, but this is usually not recommended because there are a lot of side effects that these medication forms might lead to. So then how to lower triglycerides naturally? It has been seen that the best solution to this is to change one's diet and include such foods that lower triglycerides along with giving up on those that increase their levels. 

Foods to Avoid
Excluding sugar from your diet will have a significant effect in lowering triglycerides fast. One has to also give up on carbohydrate foods, processed foods and alcohol. All these have been known to increase triglyceride content in the body. Here are the foods that you should stay far, far away from:

• All alcohols
• Flavored creams and yogurts
• Cakes and other bakery products
• Energy bars
• Aerated and sports drinks
• Red meats
• Oily and fried substances
• Chocolates
• Sugared cereals

List of Foods to Lower Triglycerides
There are several foods and specialized diets for triglycerides that help in lowering the levels of triglycerides in the body. Here are some of the best foods to lower triglycerides in the body:

• All dark green leafy vegetables
• All fruits - seasonal and otherwise (exclude mangoes)
• Herbal teas
• Water!
• All high fiber foods like fruits.
• High protein foods like grains, dairy, beans, poultry and fish.
• Legumes, nuts, beans, and seeds.
• Whole grains
• Fish like Pacific salmon, flounder, croaker, sardines and haddock for their omega 3 essential fatty acids.
• Lean meats like turkey, veal, chicken, and non fatty portions of beef.
• Fresh fruit juices
• Black coffee
• Clear broth
• Breads (whole grain) or brown rice, spaghetti and noodles can be used sparingly.
• Egg whites
• Skim milk
• Virgin olive oil
• Walnuts
• Onion
• Celery
• Almonds
• Oats
• Garlic

These are some of the foods to lower triglycerides in the body. Along with the intake of these foods there is also a need to change your diet intake and be conscious of what you eat. Eliminate all those foods that lead to high triglyceride levels. One has to also try and eliminate the excess fat that has gathered in the body and this can be done with the help of exercises and following a healthy lifestyle. When all these factors are brought into effect together, they lead to the elimination of high triglycerides and make a person healthier and at a less risk of suffering from an attack.That's how you do it.