What are Triglycerides and why do they matter?

Triglycerides are one component of the fat found in blood. It is commonly believed that Triglycerides are increased by eating too much fat, but it is the opposite. Trigs are increased from eating too many carbs or sugar and therefore increasing insulin.

When carbs are ingested, they are broken down into glucose in the digestive tract and either utilised quickly in the bloodstream, transported by insulin into fat cells or transported to the liver for conversion into glycogen or triglyceride. About 60 percent of ingested glucose is transported to the liver in a healthy person. The liver converts glucose into glycogen for storage in muscle tissue and the liver. When liver glycogen stores are full, the liver then converts excess glucose into triglyceride. Triglyceride is then transported by VLDL (Very Low Density Lipoprotein) into cells throughout the body.

Chronically elevated insulin levels prevent triglyceride from being mobilized into free fatty acids for use as energy. Instead, you are stuck in a fat storage pattern and not a balance between energy mobilization (burning of fatty acids) and energy storage (storing ingested fats or ingested carbs converted into fats). Elevated levels of triglyceride in the bloodstream drive VLDL conversion into small, dense LDL (BAD) instead of large, fluffy LDL (GOOD) cholesterol.

If you are concerned about your Cholesterol, take the time to read articles from reputable sources that are not stuck in the ‘old way’ to view total cholesterol count. It may be that there is not as much to worry about as you think?