A Guide to Nutrition: Which fat to avoid with high triglycerides?

October 28, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, high triglycerides can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Understanding which fat to avoid with high triglycerides is a critical step toward managing your levels and improving cardiovascular health.

Quick Summary

To manage high triglycerides, eliminate harmful trans fats and reduce saturated fats found in red meat and full-fat dairy. Incorporate healthy unsaturated fats from fish, nuts, and plant-based oils, alongside limiting refined carbohydrates and sugars.

Key Points

Eliminate Trans Fats: Avoid artificial trans fats, found in partially hydrogenated oils within processed foods, to lower triglyceride levels.
Reduce Saturated Fat Intake: Cut back on foods high in saturated fat, such as fatty meats, butter, and full-fat dairy, to help manage triglycerides.
Incorporate Unsaturated Fats: Replace unhealthy fats with heart-healthy options like olive oil, avocados, nuts, and fatty fish rich in omega-3s.
Address Sugars and Carbs: Reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates and added sugars, as the body converts excess into triglycerides.
Choose Leaner Protein: Swap out fatty red meats for leaner protein sources like fish, poultry without skin, or plant-based alternatives.
Prioritize High-Fiber Foods: Increase your consumption of fiber-rich foods like whole grains, vegetables, and beans to help lower triglycerides.

Understanding Triglycerides

Triglycerides are a type of fat, or lipid, that circulates in your blood. After you eat, your body converts any calories it doesn't need immediately into triglycerides, which are then stored in your fat cells for later use as energy. While your body needs some triglycerides for energy, having high levels (known as hypertriglyceridemia) can increase the risk of serious health complications, particularly heart disease and stroke. A normal fasting triglyceride level is considered below 150 mg/dL. Levels above this range signal a need for dietary and lifestyle changes.

The Direct Link Between Diet and Triglycerides

Your diet plays a significant role in determining your triglyceride levels. Consuming more calories than you burn, especially from certain types of fats and carbohydrates, leads to the liver converting this excess energy into triglycerides. Therefore, making informed choices about the types of fat you consume is paramount for managing these levels.

The Fats You Must Avoid with High Triglycerides

To effectively lower your triglyceride levels, eliminating or significantly reducing specific types of fat is essential. The two main culprits are trans fats and saturated fats.

Trans Fats: The Worst Offender

Artificial trans fats are created through a process called hydrogenation, where liquid vegetable oils are converted into a solid form. This process is used to improve the shelf life and texture of processed foods, but it creates fats that are highly detrimental to heart health. Trans fats not only raise your LDL ("bad") cholesterol but also increase your triglyceride levels while lowering your HDL ("good") cholesterol.

Sources of trans fats to avoid:
- Processed baked goods: Cookies, crackers, and pastries made with partially hydrogenated oils.
- Fried foods: French fries, doughnuts, and other commercially fried items.
- Certain spreads: Some stick margarines still contain trans fats.

Saturated Fats: A Major Contributor

While not as harmful as trans fats, high consumption of saturated fats can still significantly raise your triglyceride levels. Saturated fats are primarily found in animal products and tropical oils. They can contribute to the thickening of artery walls and an increased risk of heart disease over time.

Sources of saturated fats to limit:
- High-fat meats: Fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb, as well as processed meats like sausage and bacon.
- Full-fat dairy: Whole milk, full-fat cheese, and butter.
- Certain oils: Coconut and palm oil are high in saturated fat.
- Lard and shortening: Animal fats used in cooking and baking.

The Hidden Culprits: Sugar and Refined Carbs

It's a common misconception that only dietary fats impact triglyceride levels. In reality, excess calories from sugar and refined carbohydrates are a primary driver of high triglycerides. When you consume more carbohydrates and sugar than your body needs, your liver converts this excess energy into triglycerides.

Sources of added sugars to reduce:
- Sugary drinks: Sodas, fruit juices with added sugar, and sweetened teas.
- Sweets and desserts: Cookies, cakes, candies, and ice cream.
- High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS): Often found in processed foods and beverages.
Sources of refined carbohydrates to swap out:
- White bread, white rice, and traditional pasta.
- Sugary breakfast cereals.

Healthy Fats to Incorporate into Your Diet

Not all fats are bad. In fact, replacing harmful fats with healthy ones is a cornerstone of managing high triglycerides. Unsaturated fats, particularly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, can actually help lower your triglyceride levels.

Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFAs)

This category includes omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, both of which are essential for your body. Omega-3s, in particular, are powerful for lowering triglycerides.

Sources of PUFAs:
- Fatty fish: Salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines are excellent sources of omega-3s. Aim for at least two servings per week.
- Seeds: Flaxseeds and chia seeds are rich in omega-3s.
- Walnuts: Contain omega-3 fatty acids.
- Vegetable oils: Canola oil and corn oil contain PUFAs.

Monounsaturated Fats (MUFAs)

MUFAs are another heart-healthy fat that can help improve cholesterol levels and lower triglycerides.

Sources of MUFAs:
- Olive oil: A staple of the Mediterranean diet.
- Avocados: Rich in monounsaturated fats.
- Nuts: Almonds, cashews, pecans, and pistachios are good sources.

Comparing Harmful vs. Healthy Fats


Feature	Harmful Fats (Trans & Saturated)	Healthy Fats (Unsaturated)
Effect on Triglycerides	Increase triglyceride levels significantly.	Help lower triglyceride levels.
Effect on Cholesterol	Raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol; trans fats also lower HDL ("good") cholesterol.	Improve overall cholesterol balance; can raise HDL and lower LDL.
Food Sources	Processed baked goods, fried foods, fatty red meat, full-fat dairy, some margarines.	Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel), nuts (walnuts, almonds), seeds (flaxseed, chia), olive oil, avocados.
Preparation	Often found in processed, deep-fried, or commercially baked items.	Best consumed fresh, raw, or lightly cooked; used as a healthy oil substitute.
Overall Health Impact	Associated with increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and inflammation.	Provide essential fatty acids and support heart, brain, and cell health.

Conclusion

High triglycerides are a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but they are highly manageable through dietary adjustments. The most impactful change is understanding which fat to avoid with high triglycerides: namely, artificial trans fats and, to a lesser extent, saturated fats. By consciously replacing these harmful fats with heart-healthy unsaturated alternatives from sources like fatty fish, nuts, and olive oil, you can make a substantial difference in your health. Furthermore, addressing the intake of refined sugars and carbohydrates is equally crucial for controlling triglyceride levels. Combined with other lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and weight management, a thoughtful nutritional approach can lead to significantly healthier triglyceride levels and a stronger heart. For more detailed advice, consulting with a healthcare provider is recommended. A great resource for heart-healthy living is the National Institutes of Health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Triglycerides are a type of fat used for energy storage, while cholesterol is a waxy substance used to build cells and hormones. Both are lipids, but they have different functions and come from different sources.

Artificial trans fats are known to both raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol and significantly increase triglyceride levels in the blood, making them particularly harmful for cardiovascular health.

While small amounts of trans fats are found naturally in ruminant animal products, the primary health concern is with industrially produced trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils. However, reducing overall consumption of these fats is still wise.

All fats contain calories. Consuming more calories than you burn, even from healthy fats, can lead to weight gain and subsequently raise triglyceride levels. Moderation is key, even with healthy options.

Alcohol is high in sugar and calories, which the body can convert into triglycerides. Even small amounts can significantly raise triglyceride levels in sensitive individuals.

The best healthy fats to add are unsaturated fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts. Monounsaturated fats from olive oil and avocados are also beneficial.

In addition to avoiding bad fats, it's critical to reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates and added sugars. Focus on high-fiber whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.