What fatty foods should you avoid with high triglycerides?

January 8, 2026 •

4 min read

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than a third of American adults have high triglycerides. If you've been diagnosed with elevated levels, understanding what fatty foods should you avoid with high triglycerides is crucial for managing your health and reducing the risk of heart-related complications.

Quick Summary

This guide covers the types of unhealthy fats and processed foods to cut back on when managing high triglyceride levels. Learn how to identify and replace harmful saturated and trans fats to support heart health effectively.

Key Points

Avoid Saturated and Trans Fats: Limit intake of fatty red meat, high-fat dairy, fried foods, and processed baked goods to manage triglyceride levels.
Reduce Sugar and Refined Carbs: Cut back on sugary drinks, sweets, and products made with white flour, as the body converts excess sugar into triglycerides.
Choose Healthy Fats: Incorporate mono- and polyunsaturated fats from sources like olive oil, avocado, nuts, and fatty fish into your diet.
Limit Alcohol Consumption: Excessive alcohol intake is a common cause of high triglycerides, and reduction can lead to significant improvement.
Increase Fiber Intake: A high-fiber diet with whole grains, fruits, and vegetables can slow the absorption of fat and sugar, helping to lower triglycerides.
Opt for Lean Protein: Choose lean proteins like skinless poultry, fish, and legumes over fatty red and processed meats.
Prioritize Healthy Cooking Methods: Use methods like grilling, baking, and steaming instead of frying to reduce unhealthy fat intake.

Understanding Triglycerides and Their Impact

Triglycerides are a type of fat, or lipid, found in your blood. Your body converts excess calories into triglycerides, which are then stored in your fat cells for energy. While necessary for health, high levels can increase your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. High triglycerides are often linked with a diet rich in unhealthy fats, refined carbohydrates, and sugar. Modifying your diet is a key strategy for bringing these levels back into a healthy range.

The Fats to Eliminate or Limit

When focusing on your fat intake, not all fats are created equal. The most important dietary changes involve cutting out specific types of fats that have a direct negative impact on triglyceride levels and overall heart health.

Saturated Fats

Saturated fats, which are solid at room temperature, are notorious for raising both LDL ('bad') cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Many saturated fats come from animal-based foods and should be limited in your diet.

Fatty Cuts of Red Meat: Beef, pork, and lamb are high in saturated fat. Processed meats like sausage and bacon are also problematic.
High-Fat Dairy Products: Whole milk, full-fat cheese, butter, cream, and ice cream contain significant amounts of saturated fat.
Certain Tropical Oils: Palm oil and coconut oil, despite their plant origin, are very high in saturated fat and should be consumed sparingly.
Poultry Skin: While poultry can be a lean protein, the skin is full of saturated fat.

Trans Fats

Trans fats, particularly artificial trans fats, are the worst type of fat for your heart. They not only raise LDL cholesterol and triglycerides but also lower beneficial HDL ('good') cholesterol. The FDA has largely banned artificial trans fats, but small amounts may still be found in processed foods. Look for "partially hydrogenated oil" on ingredient lists to identify them.

Fried and Fast Foods: French fries, doughnuts, and other fried snacks often contain trans fats.
Baked Goods: Many cookies, crackers, pastries, and cakes use shortening or partially hydrogenated oils.
Processed Snacks: Chips, microwave popcorn, and some packaged foods can be hidden sources.
Stick Margarine: Certain stick margarines are known to contain trans fats.

Other Foods That Increase Triglycerides

It is also important to recognize that it's not just fatty foods that contribute to high triglycerides. Your body converts excess calories from any source into triglycerides. Therefore, managing your overall intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates is equally important.

Sugary Drinks and Foods: Soda, sugary fruit juices, sports drinks, and sweetened iced tea lead to excess sugar intake, which the liver converts to triglycerides. Candies, desserts, and sweetened cereals are also major culprits.
Refined Carbohydrates: White bread, white pasta, and baked goods made with white flour can cause a spike in blood sugar, prompting the liver to produce more triglycerides.
Alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption, particularly in those with existing high triglycerides, can significantly raise levels. The American Heart Association recommends limiting alcohol to one drink per day for women and two for men.

Comparison Table: Avoid vs. Choose

To help you visualize the necessary dietary swaps, here is a comparison of foods to avoid versus healthier alternatives.


Food Category	Avoid with High Triglycerides	Healthier Alternatives	Action
Meat	Fatty cuts of beef, pork, lamb, bacon, sausage	Lean protein like skinless chicken, turkey, and fish	Swap
Dairy	Whole milk, full-fat cheese, ice cream, cream, butter	Skim or low-fat milk, fat-free yogurt, cottage cheese	Swap
Fats/Oils	Lard, shortening, partially hydrogenated oils, palm oil, coconut oil	Olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil, and sunflower oil	Swap
Snacks	Chips, cookies, cakes, pastries, fried foods	Nuts, seeds, fresh fruit, air-popped popcorn	Replace
Beverages	Sugary soda, fruit juices, sweetened teas, alcohol	Water, unsweetened tea, vegetable juice	Replace
Grains	White bread, white pasta, instant rice, sweetened cereals	Whole-grain bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oats	Swap

Making Smart Swaps

Making gradual changes to your diet is more sustainable than overhauling everything at once. Begin by reading nutrition labels carefully to spot hidden sugars and unhealthy fats. Instead of frying, opt for healthier cooking methods such as baking, grilling, steaming, or poaching. For snacks, replace processed foods with nutrient-dense options like a handful of nuts, seeds, or a piece of fruit. When it comes to beverages, water is the best choice, and if you enjoy juice, make sure it is 100% fruit juice with no added sugars. Small, consistent changes add up to big health benefits.

Conclusion

Effectively managing high triglycerides requires a conscious effort to limit or eliminate foods high in saturated and trans fats, as well as excess sugar and refined carbohydrates. By focusing on a heart-healthy diet rich in whole foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats, you can significantly lower your triglyceride levels and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. This dietary approach is a crucial step towards a healthier, longer life. For personalized dietary advice, always consult with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian. For more information, the American Heart Association offers extensive resources on healthy eating for heart health.

Other Considerations

In addition to dietary changes, other lifestyle modifications can help lower triglycerides. Losing weight, exercising regularly, and managing conditions like diabetes are all effective strategies. A balanced approach that incorporates diet, exercise, and medical supervision can yield the best results for your heart and overall well-being.

Frequently Asked Questions

Saturated fats, found in fatty red meat, butter, and high-fat dairy, and trans fats, often in fried and processed foods, are the worst types of fats for high triglycerides.

Yes, both butter and red meat are high in saturated fats, which are known to increase triglyceride levels and contribute to poor heart health.

No, not all fats are bad. Healthy fats like mono- and polyunsaturated fats found in olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish can actually help lower triglycerides and improve heart health.

You should avoid sugary beverages like soda, fruit juices with added sugar, and alcoholic drinks, as excess sugar and calories are converted into triglycerides.

Yes, your liver converts any excess sugar from your diet into triglycerides. High intake of added sugars from sweets and drinks is a major cause of elevated triglycerides.

For those with high triglycerides, opting for healthier oils like olive oil, canola oil, and avocado oil is recommended. These are rich in unsaturated fats and are better alternatives to butter and shortening.

Dietary changes can significantly lower triglycerides, especially when combined with other lifestyle adjustments like regular exercise, weight management, and limiting alcohol. For severely high levels, a doctor may also recommend medication.