Foods to Avoid to Lower Triglycerides

Avoiding certain foods that raise triglycerides plays an important role in lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke. High levels of triglycerides, which are fatty deposits in the body, are linked to coronary blockage and clotting. Avoiding certain foods aids in keeping triglyceride levels low.

Carbs Are Key

Limit your consumption of carbohydrates. The body converts excess carbs into glycogen. The liver then converts excess glycogen into triglycerides. Some triglycerides make their way into your blood stream, where they pose increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Limit carbs produced from processed white flour in your diet. A cup serving of rice, pasta, beans, peas or corn is all you should eat per meal. One slice of bread is equal to one serving.

Raw sugar and alcohol also contain large amounts of carbohydrates. Avoid alcohol when possible and reduce consumption of sweets such as pie, cake and candy. When possible, buy reduced sugar foods and avoid foods with high fructose corn syrup, which is often added as a sweetener to fruit juices and sodas. Buy fruit juices that only include natural fruit sugars, and replace regular soda with sugar-free soda. Ketchup also contains lots of sugar. Avoid it.

Limit Proteins

All protein is not the same. Fatty proteins increase your risk for triglycerides. Limit your consumption of egg yolks to two per week and avoid bacon, sausage and all red meat that features high percentages of fat. If you must have red meat in your diet, aim for lean hamburger and trim fat from steaks before eating them. Dairy is another good source of protein, but it can be high in fat, too. Choose skim milk and opt for low-fat versions of sour cream and ice cream. When buying cheese, look for reduced fat or 2 percent versions.

Limit Oils and Fats

Avoid saturated fats and hydrogenated oils used to make margarine and commonly found in fast foods. Fried foods are often cooked in these substances. Butter, lard and vegetable oil are popular for cooking, but they also contain large amounts of saturated fat. Limit them in your diet by rarely frying or coating foods in these substances. Also limit nuts, which contain the healthful, good fats, in your diet to a 1/2 cup serving.