Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in all your body’s cells. It’s normal to have cholesterol.  There are three main parts to cholesterol:  HDL, LDL and triglycerides.

Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood.

When you eat, your body converts any calories it doesn’t need to use right away into triglycerides.  The triglycerides are stored in your fat cells. At some point, the hormones release triglycerides for energy between meals. If you regularly eat more calories than you burn, you may have high triglycerides, which is also called hypertriglyceridemia.

A simple blood test can reveal whether your triglycerides fall into a healthy range.  What is considered normal?

• Normal — Less than 150 milligrams per deciliter
• Borderline high — 150 to 199 mg/dl
• High — 200 to 499 mg/dL
• Very high — 500 mg/dL or above

Your doctor will usually check for high triglycerides as part of a test called a lipid panel or lipid profile, which also checks your cholesterol levels. You’ll have to fast for nine to 12 hours before blood can be drawn for an accurate triglyceride measurement.

What’s the difference between triglycerides and cholesterol?  Triglycerides and cholesterol are separate types of fats or lipids that circulate in your blood. Triglycerides provide your body with energy and cholesterol is used to build cells and certain hormones. Because triglycerides and cholesterol can’t dissolve in blood, they circulate throughout your body with the help of proteins that transport the lipids, called lipoproteins.

As with lowering your cholesterol levels, you can make changes in your lifestyle to help reduce your triglyceride levels.  First, if you are overweight, you should cut down on your calories.  You should reduce the amount of saturated fat and trans fat in your diet.  You should reduce your alcohol intake, even small amounts of alcohol can lead to large changes in plasma triglyceride levels.   Finally, people with high triglycerides may need to substitute monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats —such as those found in canola oil, olive oil or liquid margarine — for saturated fats. Substituting carbohydrates for fats may raise triglyceride levels and may decrease HDL (”good”) cholesterol in some people.