Do sugars from fruit raise triglyceride levels?
Ask the doctor
Q. I have a triglyceride level of 300 mg/dL. I know a common recommendation is to eat healthier and to add fruit to my diet. Do sugars from fruit have any impact on the triglyceride level?
A. Before answering your question, it helps to understand a few basics about triglycerides.
The amount of triglycerides in the bloodstream rises and falls throughout the day. After a rich meal, triglycerides can be so abundant they give blood a milky tint. Within a few hours, they're mostly cleared out.
That's why doctors traditionally test for triglycerides after an overnight fast. This way the results aren't thrown off by what you've just eaten.
Normal fasting triglyceride blood level is less than 150 mg/dL. So, a reading of 300 mg/dL is definitely high. But if your test was done shortly after you had something to eat, repeating the test after fasting might not look as bad.
Regarding the influence of sugars from fruit on triglyceride levels, they might raise your triglyceride level a little if you ate a lot of fruit and gained weight.
There are better ways to decrease your triglyceride level than cutting out fruits:
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Go for good carbs
Good carbohydrates include whole-grain foods. (You want to limit the easily digested carbohydrates that can raise your triglycerides. These include white bread, white rice, corn flakes, and sugared soda.) -
Beware of alcohol
Moderate drinking is good for the heart. But in some people, alcohol dramatically boosts triglycerides. -
Eat more fish
Omega-3 fats found in salmon, tuna, sardines, and other fatty fish can lower triglycerides. -
Maintain a healthy weight
If you are overweight, losing 5% to 10% of your weight can help drive down triglycerides. Losing more is even better. -
Get more exercise
Exercise lowers triglycerides. Also, regular exercise is linked to higher HDL (good) cholesterol levels. -
Cut back on saturated fat
It may not directly lower your blood triglycerides. But it will help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol level.
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About the Author
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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