Q&A on High Cholesterol: What’s the Best Way to Lower Triglyceride Levels?

I am desperately struggling to bring down my triglyceride levels through diet. Right now I only eat fish, vegetables, rice, pasta, and fruits—no butters, oils, or fried foods. But my triglyceride levels remain high. What else can I do?

Triglycerides are a fatty-particle component of the total cholesterol package that tend to be deposited and stored in body fat—think of those love handles. Dietary sources of triglycerides include sugars, carbohydrates, and alcohol. Your present low-fat diet is high in carbohydrates and is the source of your rising triglyceride levels.

To bring down your triglycerides, you should start with some changes to your current diet. Specifically, you should:

• Eat fewer high-glycemic carbohydrates, such as rice, pastas, potatoes, corn, carrots, and peas.
• Avoid bread and breadlike products (crackers, bagels, etc.) Eat more tofu, fish, and nuts.
• Use olive oil as a source of healthy fat.
• Add more protein to your diet, such as eggs and poultry.

Adopting my Pan-Asian Mediterranean (PAM) diet will help you institute all of these nutritional strategies. In addition, see my other tips for lowering triglyceride levels. And if you’re not sure what constitutes healthy triglyceride and cholesterol levels, find out what I consider to be optimal triglyceride and cholesterol ranges.

Learn More From Dr. Sinatra

• Read more Q&As about cholesterol.
• Read more Q&As on all topics.