Triglycerides: What Fat and Sugar Have in Common
Holiday splurges can result in more than extra weight to shed in the New Year. Sweet cookies, pies, and candies all rich in fat, along with excess alcohol and calories can lead to a spike in triglyceride levels. This increase in triglycerides may put you at increased risk for heart disease.
In the Q&A section below, Lorraine Matthews-Antosiewicz, registered dietitian and author of 10 Days to Sugar Free: Sugar Detox Survival Guide, has answered questions regarding the relationship between triglycerides, sugar, and fat.
What are triglycerides?
Triglycerides are a type of fat that come from food, and your body also makes them. They are the most common type of fat found in the body. Triglycerides are continually circulating in the blood ready to be metabolized to provide a source of energy when needed, but their main function is to store energy for later use. When you consume more calories than your body can use, it converts the excess into triglyceride and stores it in fat cells. Fat cells hold the triglyceride molecules until your body needs energy between meals. Hormones signal the fat cells to release the triglycerides for your body to use.
Why do triglycerides matter?
High Fructose Corn Syrup or Table Sugar: Which is Better?
Do you think of honey or agave nectar as being more “natural” than other types of sweeteners? You might be surprised to learn that most sweeteners go through very similar forms of processing.
High fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, table sugar (sucrose), and agave nectar all undergo extraction, filtration, enzyme treatment, and concentration.
Since processing methods are similar between these types of sweeteners, don’t assume you need to select one over another because one is more “natural” or less processed.
Digestion and Absorption of Table Sugar vs. High Fructose Corn Syrup
The molecular structure of table sugar (sucrose) and high fructose corn syrup do differ; however, this difference is eliminated in the small intestine when the glucose-fructose bond in sucrose is broken. Therefore, once the two sweeteners reach the blood stream any difference has been eliminated.
When they reach the blood stream they are providing the same sugars at the same ratios to the same tissues/organs within the same time frame.
Despite the similarity in digestion and absorption, media coverage might have you questioning potential health concerns related to fructose and high fructose corn syrup. This steams from the possibility of small percent, ~3-5%, of fructose being converted to fatty acids in the liver.
How to Select a Bar that is Heart Healthy
It seems like we a constantly on the go, which makes quick and easy snacks a regular part of our daily routine. This is why bars are so popular; however, I don’t want you to assume a granola bar is automatically a heart healthy choice. Let’s cover what you need to look at when selecting a bar in a little more detail.
Carbohydrates
The high carb bars were originally intended for endurance athletes that require high energy food (i.e. high calorie food) to support there high levels of activity. This is not what you need to make it through everyday activities. Look for a bar that provides 40% or less of it’s calories from carbohydrates.
Protein
Find a bar that providers between 15 to 20 grams of protein per bar. Soy is frequently used as a protein source in bars. Due to the potential negative side effects of a diet high in soy, I encourage you to look for a bar that does not include soy. Instead, look for bars that utilize whey as the primary protein source.
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5 Steps to Achieve a Healthy Heart
You don’t have to begin a drastic diet in order to achieve your heart health goals. Big results can be achieved by improving your daily habits one step at a time.
Here are 5 steps you can implement now for a healthy heart:
Step 1 – Add fruits and vegetables to your daily diet
That’s right, I’m not telling you to eliminate a food, but to add foods. Fruits and vegetables are essential. Add fruit and/or vegetable to every meal or snack to boost your intake of this necessary food group. It’s estimated that our intake of vegetables is usually only 59% of what it should be and fruit only 42%.
Step 2 – Switch processed grains for whole grains
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Is your granola bar a candy bar in disguise?
There are all kinds of nutrition bars available, from energy bars, to protein bars, to weight control, to gluten free, to breakfast bars, and the list goes on. Unfortunately, many of these supposed “nutrition” bars are really just glorified candy bars.
What to look for when selecting a nutrition bar:
Sugar – Look at the nutrition label and see how many grams of sugar there are per serving. . .and does a full bar equal 1 serving? Select a bar with 5 grams or less sugar per bar.
Fiber – Don’t rely on fortified bars to meet daily fiber needs. Isolated fibers, such as inulin, chicory extract, and oligosaccharides do not necessarily provide the same benefit as foods naturally rich in fiber. Select a bar that provides ~3 grams of fiber. Ideally this fiber will come from whole grains, dried fruit, and/or nuts included in the bar.
Vitamins and Minerals – Don’t use a nutrition bar to try and meet 100% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals. Look at the food label and see if it’s providing 100% of the RDA. There are potential side effects from consuming too much of certain vitamins and minerals. Select nutrition bars that do not provide 100% of the RDA for vitamins and minerals.
5 Steps to Prevent Heart Disease
Heart disease is a lifestyle disease. Your diet and lifestyle choices are a major factor in determining your likelihood of developing heart disease.
Heart disease develops as a result of inflammation and oxidative damage. So, let’s cover steps you can take to decrease inflammation and oxidative damage to reduce your risk of developing heart disease.
1. Decrease your sugar intake.
When I say sugar, I’m also referring to simple carbohydrates. When you consume carbohydrates the body breaks them down into sugar molecules. Converting simple carbs (i.e. refined carbohydrates) into sugar is a fairly quick process for the body. Simple carbohydrates include potatoes, pasta, bread, and rice, along with your sugar sweetened beverages, candy, and sweets. As these foods are broken down, sugar enters the blood steam and can result in blood sugar spikes. These spikes contribute to oxidative damage and inflammation.
