Foods That Can Lower Cholesterol And Triglycerides – With the growing epidemic of childhood and adult obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of death and disability in the United States, affecting more than 13 million Americans. An estimated 31 percent of the US population has high triglycerides, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
A 2007 meta-analysis involving a total of 3582 cases of fatal and non-fatal coronary artery disease indicated a significant association between triglyceride levels and the risk of coronary artery disease. (1)
Foods That Can Lower Cholesterol And Triglycerides
Triglycerides are a type of lipid or fat in the blood. Any calories that are not needed during meals are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells. The hormones then release triglycerides for energy between meals. This cycle only becomes problematic when you eat more calories than you burn, leading to high triglycerides, also known as hypertriglyceridemia.
Ways To Lower Cholesterol Naturally
Triglycerides and cholesterol are different types of lipids that circulate in the blood. While triglycerides store unused calories and provide the body with energy, cholesterol is used to build cells and produce certain hormones. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) helps remove fat from the body by binding it in the bloodstream and returning it to the liver for disposal. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) carries mostly fats and only a small amount of protein from the liver to other parts of the body.
Although elevated LDL cholesterol is a major predictor of coronary heart disease, evidence suggests that elevated triglycerides are also an independent risk factor. Until recently, researchers believed that high triglyceride levels were not as significant as cholesterol in predicting plaque buildup and heart disease, but that view has changed. Most experts now consider triglycerides to be the third major risk factor for plaque buildup in the arteries, along with “good” HDL cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol.
In fact, in studies where LDL cholesterol levels were significantly reduced with the use of statin drugs, many patients still had elevated triglycerides, further increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease. This proves that in addition to LDL cholesterol playing a critical role in the buildup of plaque inside the arteries, known as atherosclerosis, high triglyceride levels also play a significant role. (3)
Reviewed data on associations between triglyceride, HDL, and LDL cholesterol and risk factors for coronary artery disease. The researchers found that smoking, diabetes, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, and obesity were much more common among men and women with low HDL cholesterol and high triglyceride levels than among those with high HDL cholesterol and low triglyceride levels. (4)
Top Foods To Lower Triglycerides
Hypertriglyceridemia is often observed in patients with type 2 diabetes because insulin plays an important role in regulating lipid homeostasis. When the body is resistant to insulin, organs that are sensitive to insulin regulation, such as fat tissue, the liver, and skeletal muscle, cannot function properly.
Research shows that triglyceride levels predict cardiovascular disease, which is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Western society. (5) People with high triglycerides may be at significant risk for cardiovascular disease, even if their LDL cholesterol is on target.
A 2010 study at Harvard Medical School assessed the relative contributions of triglyceride and HDL cholesterol to coronary heart disease risk after lowering LDL cholesterol. The study, which included 170 cases and 175 controls, suggests that high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol are associated with coronary heart disease even in patients with lower LDL cholesterol. The chance of coronary artery disease increased by about 20 percent for a 23 milligram per deciliter increase in triglyceride levels. (6)
High triglyceride levels also increase the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. It is not that high triglycerides actually cause diabetes, but it shows that the body is not converting food into energy properly. Normally, the body produces insulin, which transports glucose into the cells where it is used for energy. Insulin allows the body to use triglycerides for energy, but when someone is insulin resistant, the cells don’t let insulin or glucose in, causing both glucose and triglycerides to build up in the blood.
High Cholesterol Foods To Eat And Avoid, According To Experts
A 2011 study published in the Oman Medical Journal demonstrated a strong link between elevated serum triglycerides and elevated blood sugar, but high cholesterol did not have the same effect. We collected samples from 438 non-diabetic and non-insulin-dependent type 2 diabetic patients. The patients’ serum glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels were measured simultaneously. The results showed that increases in triglycerides, but not cholesterol, have the same effect on both triglycerides and cholesterol as the cause of high blood sugar. (7)
Hypertriglyceridemia plays an increasingly important role in the current obesity epidemic. Research shows that triglyceride levels correlate more closely with waist circumference, and weight loss significantly improves hypertriglyceridemia. In a randomized trial of individuals with diabetes, those who underwent an intensive lifestyle intervention lost 8.6 percent of their initial weight (compared to 0.7 percent in the control group) and reduced their triglyceride levels by more than twice as much as the control group. despite receiving less lipid-lowering medication. The study proves that weight loss can result in significant metabolic improvements, and that there is indeed a correlation between weight loss and reduced triglycerides. (8)
Recent research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that high cholesterol and triglyceride levels can also bind vitamin E, an essential micronutrient, in the bloodstream, preventing it from reaching the tissues that need it. This can be especially problematic because vitamin E is present in important places such as the brain, liver, eyes, skin, and artery walls. (9)
The two most common conventional treatments for high triglycerides are statins and fibrates, both of which have their own side effects.
How To Lower High Triglycerides: Calories, Fats, And Carbs
These prescription drugs, such as Lipitor or Zocor, are used by people who also have low HDL cholesterol and high LDL cholesterol. Statins are effective in treating high triglycerides, but only in patients with hypertriglyceridemia, according to a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology. The data show that the more effective statins are at lowering LDL cholesterol, the more effective they are at lowering triglycerides. (10)
The most common side effect of statin use is muscle pain, and occasionally patients suffer from liver damage, elevated blood sugar, and neurological problems such as memory loss and confusion.
Fibrates are used to lower triglyceride levels. Studies have shown that in patients with cardiovascular disease with moderately elevated triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol, fibrates have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events. Side effects of fibrates include nausea, upset stomach, and diarrhea. Fibrate use can also irritate the liver and cause gallstones with years of use. Fibrates and statins are sometimes used together in combination therapy, but this raises safety concerns and should be used with caution. (11)
Because of the link between increased body mass index and high triglycerides, calorie reduction and weight loss can have a large effect on triglyceride levels. Stick to cholesterol-lowering foods like vegetables, nuts, seeds, garlic, and sweet potatoes.
Foods That Lower Cholesterol Naturally
According to a study conducted at the Australian School of Medicine and Pharmacy, weight loss significantly reduced body weight, plasma insulin, triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels compared to weight maintenance. (12) To lose weight fast, start by avoiding empty calories throughout the day. This means reducing the consumption of sweetened beverages, refined carbohydrates and baked goods.
According to a study published in the American Journal of Physiology, when rats were given fructose, triglyceride production increased by 20 percent. The results suggest that dietary fructose not only increases triglyceride production, but also impairs triglyceride removal. Fructose is a natural simple sugar found in fruits, vegetables and honey. Instead of eating too many of these high-fructose foods, focus on eating complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. (13) Also, always avoid high fructose corn syrup, which is one of the worst ingredients.
According to a 2000 study conducted at the Rogosin Institute in New York, a very low-fat, high-carbohydrate, high-simple sugar diet increases the proportion of newly synthesized fatty acids and the concentration of plasma triglycerides. Complex carbohydrates with a high soluble fiber content create a feeling of satiety for a longer time, helping to lose weight and naturally reduce triglycerides. Stick to sprouted seeds and nuts, quinoa, and other high-fiber foods. (14)
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids reduce serum triglyceride levels by reducing the entry of free fatty acids into the liver and reducing the activity of triglyceride-synthesizing enzymes. Eat omega-3 foods such as wild-caught salmon and mackerel, chia seeds, flaxseeds, grass-fed beef and bison, and free-range eggs. (15a) A keto diet rich in healthy fats can actually reduce the risk of markers of heart disease, including high cholesterol and triglycerides. (15b)
Natural Ways To Lower Cholesterol Over Prescription Drugs: Rationale
According to research published in the journal Current Opinion in Lipidology, high alcohol consumption can be harmful because it is associated with an increase in plasma triglyceride levels, as well as cardiovascular diseases, alcoholic fatty liver disease and
