Fried fries or baked potato? Fish fry or Baked fillets? Plain water or carbonated water? Junk food or salads? These everyday dietary choices can trigger chronic cardiac ailments and elevate the triglyceride levels in the body.
Your everyday choices mark a step closer to cardiac ailments and elevated triglycerides level if taken wrongly. But do you think you should be a pro while framing your daily charts to keep you absolutely healthy? That’s certainly not true! A little change in lifestyle, a little swapping between your choices can yield high health benefits.
But now, is there a question reeling in your head as to how to make the correct choices? Don’t you worry, we have a great list of natural remedies that you can easily adopt! Read on to find out more about the best natural ways of how to lower triglycerides and cholesterol without spending a fortune at medical clinics and hospitals.
A Sneak Peek on Triglycerides
Triglyceride is a type of fat molecule that is present in the blood. After the consumption of food and during the process of digestion, the calories which are not required by the body for the production of energy change into unhealthy triglyceride molecules(1). These triglycerides accumulate in the adipose cells in the body.
When the level of triglycerides in the blood increases, it results in a condition called hypertriglyceridemia. It is quite common across the globe, with more than three million cases in the United States.
How to Lower Triglycerides with the 10 potent yet straightforward ways?
1. Cut down on the Intake of Sugar
- It is quite difficult to resist the use of sugar White sugar is not only toxic but gets liberally used in every food we eat and every beverage that we happily drink.
- The American Heart Association strongly recommends not to exceed the consumption of sugar beyond 6-9 teaspoons of it on a daily basis to remain healthy and prevent diseases like cardiac stroke and diabetes.
- The excess sugar in the food gets converted into triglycerides, which leads to an increase in the level of triglycerides in the blood, thus making the heart prone to cardiac diseases and high blood pressure.
- Extensive study and research reveal that the consumption of added sugar can increase the level of triglycerides even in children.
- So ditch the white sugar and replace it with brown sugar, and the triglyceride level will slowly slide down.
[Read: Natural Remedies to Prevent Heart Diseases]
2. Adopt a diet that is low carbs
- Carbs are just as harmful as sugar when it comes to the level of triglycerides in the blood. The extra carbs get transformed into triglycerides, which sediments in the fat cells of the body.
- A study conducted in 2003 revealed that a diet that is low in carbohydrates is incredibly beneficial to lower triglycerides in the blood. The study compared the effects of a low-carb diet and low-fat diet on the level of triglycerides in the blood. After about six months, the research revealed that the triglyceride level had dipped by approximately 38mg/dL in the low-carb diet group and only about 7mg/dL in the low-fat diet group.
3. Chew on the good fiber
- The consumption of fibrous foods like green vegetables, fresh fruits, and whole grains are incredibly beneficial to lower triglycerides levels(2) in the blood. But do you know that an average American eats only 10-12 grams of fiber daily when the recommended dosage is 25-30 grams? That’s the reason behind such a hike in patients with triglycerides.
- The other foods that are high in dietary fiber include legumes, cereals, and nuts.
- The inclusion of the right amount of fiber in the diet is good for the body. Fiber helps in decreasing the absorption of sugar and fats in the small intestines, thus contributing to the lowering of the level of triglycerides in the blood.
- The consumption of rice bran fiber helps in bringing down the level of triglycerides in the blood by about 7-8%.
4. Get rid of the trans fatty foods
- Trans fatty foods are as harmful as poison. Artificial trans fat additives are injected into the foods to enhance their shelf-life. The most common examples of trans fatty foods include baked and fried foods that contain partially hydrogenated oils.
- Trans fats are inflammatory. The consumption of such foods triggers health problems like an increase in the levels of unhealthy LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure.
- So, it is recommended to cut down on the intake of fried, baked, and processed foods to decrease the level of triglycerides in the blood.
5. A little fatty fish goes a long way
- Fatty fish is rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which have a significant effect on cardiovascular health. The essential fatty acids work to lower the levels of triglycerides in the blood.
- The consumption of mackerel, tuna, sardines, herring, and salmon can preserve the healthy functioning of the heart by bringing down the triglycerides and cholesterol concentrations in the bloodstream.
[Read: How to Lower Triglycerides]
6. Adhere to a regular and healthy meal pattern
- A consistent and healthy meal pattern is essential for regulating insulin resistance, which helps decrease blood sugar levels.
- An irregular meal pattern decreases insulin sensitivity and makes the body resistant to insulin, which leads to an accumulation of triglycerides and glucose in the blood.
7. Enhance your daily diet with soy
- Soy products are rich in isoflavone compounds(3) that are known for their incredible health benefits for the heart. The isoflavone compounds are especially useful for decreasing the level of bad cholesterol in the blood.
- In comparison with animal proteins, soy protein can decrease the level of triglycerides in the blood by about 12.4% more than regular animal proteins. The consumption of soy products like soy milk, edamame, tofu, soybeans can effectively decrease the triglycerides level by about 7.3%.
8. Fight it out with tree nuts
- How to lower triglycerides with nuts is a prevalent question over the internet? Tree nuts such as macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachios, cashews, walnuts, pecans, and almonds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, and healthy unsaturated fatty acids. These work in unison to lower the level of triglycerides in the blood.
- The consumption of 3-7servings of fresh tree nuts in a week is excellent for driving down the level of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood as each serving of tree nuts can decrease the level of triglycerides by about 2.20mg/dL.
There are a few essential supplements that can be taken to decrease the level of triglycerides in the blood. The extract of the following compounds is available in the form of supplementary capsules that can be taken on the recommendation of the physician to lower the levels of triglycerides in the blood.
- Fish oil
- Fenugreek
- Garlic extract
- Guggul
- Curcumin
Other simple ways to lower triglycerides in the blood.
9. Get down and dirty with running, jogging, and exercise
- Did you know that a high level of healthy cholesterol in the bloodstream is good for lowering the level of triglycerides? Well, yes. Healthy cholesterol or HDL bears an inverse relationship with the level of triglycerides in the blood.
- Aerobic exercise, walking, running, jogging, bicycling, swimming, and even freehand exercise can enhance the level of HDL cholesterol in the blood(4), which helps in lowering the level of triglycerides effectively.
- Exercising is not only good for making the triglyceride level dip to an average index but is also excellent for weight loss.
10. Shed a few pounds
- It is of utmost significance to lose excess weight, get fit, and healthy to fight against the rising level of triglycerides. Clinical research reveals that it takes only about 5-10 percent of weight loss to decrease the level of triglycerides in the bloodstream by about 40mg/dL.
[ Read: Foods to Lower Triglycerides ]
4 DIY Recipes that help you Lower Your Triglycerides in a Delicious Way
Oatmeal and Berry bowl
Start your day with this delicious recipe that will make you feel full for longer by providing a chunk of healthy nutrition.
Ingredients
- ½ cup of oatmeal
- Two tablespoons chopped walnuts
- 1 cup of skimmed milk (1%)
- 1 cup of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries mix
- One tablespoon honey
Process
- Prepare your oatmeal in milk and transfer it to a bowl
- Mix the fruits and sprinkle walnuts on top
- Add a dash of honey if required
Tuna sandwich
Give your boring diet plans a whiff of fresh air with this delicious yet nutritious salad to lower your triglycerides level soon.
Ingredients
- 2 oz of tuna
- Two slices of whole wheat bread
- One tablespoon of low-fat mayonnaise
- Thin slices of pear or apple for toppings
- Dill pickle relish
- Minced onion
- Salt and pepper
Process
- Prepare your sandwich on a piece of bread with the ingredients as mentioned above
- Season it with salt and pepper
- Add mayonnaise on top and then cover with second bread
- You can grill it or have it as it is
[Read: Yogurt for Diabetes]
Yogurt super-bowl
Make this bowl of yogurt laden with the superpowers of fruits and your favorite almonds as a snack between meals.
Ingredients
- A cup of low-fat yogurt
- A cup of cereal (preferably high fiber)
- 1 cup of mango
- One banana (sliced)
- Some almonds to garnish
Process
- Take the yogurt in a cup and add all the fruits into it
- Mix it well and garnish it with almonds
- You can also add a dash of honey if required for sweetness
- Enjoy it fresh
Shrimp wheat pasta
This power-packed pasta recipe makes you feel full for longer that will help you to avoid bingeing in between meals.
Ingredients
- 1 cup full of vegetable stir fry with appx 2 Oz of shrimps
- 1 cup boiled wheat pasta
- 1 cup of pineapple cubes
- Olive oil, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese for dressing
Process
- Take cooked pasta in a bowl and add the stir fry veggies along with shrimp.
- Add pineapple cubes.
- Add olive oil, garlic powder, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and toss it well.
- Enjoy while it’s hot .
[Read: How to Lower Cholesterol Levels]
A few words of caution
- Boil, bake, steam, and roast the foods to get the comprehensive benefits of their nutritional composition.
- Do not exceed the servings of tree nuts as they tend to be high in calories.
- Avoid foods that have a high glycemic index.
- In the case of fruits, eat them raw, ripe, and fresh for the fibrous content and nutrients.
Conclusion
It is no longer a challenging task to decrease the levels of triglycerides in the blood. With effective and efficient natural ways, lowering triglycerides and cholesterol is easier to achieve. All that you have to do is prepare a well-balanced, healthy and nutritious diet and stick to it to bring down the level of toxic triglycerides in the blood. Say no to junk food and trans fatty foods and preserve the health of the heart to lead a happy and healthy life.
FAQs
1. Does apple cider vinegar lower triglycerides?
Many studies suggest that apple cider vinegar can alleviate triglycerides and also total cholesterol levels.
2. Are triglycerides worse than LDL?
Triglycerides are a common type of body fat that is useful in storing excess energy from the food you intake. A high level of triglyceride is as bad as LDL, which can increase the risk of heart attack and other chronic conditions.
