What Vegetables to Eat to Lower Triglycerides

You know that vegetables, in general, are good for the health but specifically what are the vegetables to eat to lower triglycerides? There are two classes of vegetables you must have daily servings of in sufficient amounts in order to regulate triglyceride levels and maintain good heart health, and these are the green and leafy vegetables and the deep yellow vegetables.

Green and leafy vegetables are loaded with all the essential vitamins and nutrients necessary to improve the condition of the heart. They are also very rich in fiber which boosts the digestive system to remove the toxins and the excess fat out of the human body. When you have problems with your triglycerides, make sure to include a hefty serving of green and leafy vegetables, particularly, broccoli, collared greens, cabbage, turnip greens, kale, mustard greens, Romaine lettuce, spinach and Swiss chard.

You should also include a serving of deep yellow vegetables in your daily diet if you want a faster way to lower your triglyceride levels. Deep yellow vegetables contain the carotenoid lutein which offers protection not just against eye problems but heart problems, too. It’s been said, in fact, that lutein limits the formation of plaque on the artery, thus reducing incidence of heart attack. Squash, tomatoes, carrots, and sweet potatoes are the recommended yellow vegetables to eat to lower triglycerides.

It has to be emphasized, however, that in order to maximize the benefits of eating vegetables, whether they are dark green or deep yellow, you should eat them raw as much as possible, and without fatty dressings. You can boil them, braise them, steam them, or poach them, but avoid cooking them in unhealthy fat, that means, don’t fry them in regular cooking oil. If you have to absolutely fry the vegetables, stir-fry them in olive oil.

An all vegetable diet, however, may not be very ideal because the body needs proteins, and these are mostly found in animal sources which are also known to be sources of unhealthy fat. Thankfully, not all animals contain unhealthy fat. Fish, in fact, is abundant in Omega-3, the good fat, that’s responsible in keeping the heart healthy by protecting its walls from plaque build-up. Eating steamed fish two or three times a week is a good way to get the needed proteins.

Of course, this healthy diet requires that you stay away from unhealthy eating habits. Bring your own lunch to keep yourself from buying foods at the deli or at the nearby fast-food restaurant. The foods often served in these places are either deep-fried in unhealthy oil or cooked with artificial seasonings and preservatives. To satisfy your sweet tooth, have fiber-rich fruits for desert, instead of a bar of chocolate or a slice of cake. Good thing if you are not a smoker or an alcoholic drinker, but if you are, you need to cut the habit, too, because smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages can cause your triglyceride levels to shoot up.

Don’t forget to exercise, too. Doing cardio exercises not only keeps you in shape but also helps to bring high levels of triglycerides down.

So you see, along with these vegetables to eat to lower triglycerides comes the need to make changes in your lifestyle.