Tips to Lower Triglycerides and LDL Cholesterol

Good Fats Can Lower Cholesterol

Replace bad fats, such as saturated and trans fats, with monounsaturated fats and omega-3s. The American Heart Association recommends eating two servings of omega-3-rich fish per week as part of a heart-healthy diet.

According to Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, the biggest contributor to raising LDL cholesterol is saturated fat. To remedy the cause-and-effect relationship between saturated fat and LDL, the AHA recommends limiting saturated fat intake to 7 percent of daily calories. So if you're on a 2,000-calorie diet, that would mean eating no more than 140 calories from saturated fat.

The same applies to triglycerides. The more calories you eat and don't burn off, the more you store, which can lead to higher-than-normal triglycerides.

Eliminating or restricting certain foods can help lower LDL and triglycerides:

• No trans fats: Although many restaurants and manufacturers advertise products as zero trans fat, if the ingredients include shortening, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, or hydrogenated vegetable oil, the food has trans fat. Labels are not required to list trans fat if the total is less than 0.5 grams.
• Reduce sugar intake: Cut your sugar to 8 percent of your daily calories (40 grams if eating 2,000 calories a day). This is especially important for those with high triglycerides.
• Limit high-cholesterol foods: Get no more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day; no more than 200 mg if you've been diagnosed with heart disease. Get our favorite low-cholesterol recipes.