The main form of fat in food and body energy storage, made of three fatty acids attached to glycerol.
A triglyceride is a molecule composed of three fatty acids linked to a glycerol backbone. It is the most common form of dietary fat and the primary form of energy storage in the body.
Triglycerides are the predominant lipids in your diet and in your bloodstream. When you eat fat, your digestive system breaks it down into triglycerides, which are then absorbed and transported throughout your body. Your body can use triglycerides immediately for energy or store them in adipose tissue for later use. The structure of triglycerides—three fatty acid chains bonded to glycerol—makes them highly energy-dense, providing 9 calories per gram. Understanding triglycerides is essential because elevated blood triglyceride levels are associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk.
Triglycerides serve as the body's primary energy source and long-term energy storage molecule.
Monitor your triglyceride levels through blood tests, especially if you have metabolic risk factors. Reduce refined carbohydrates and alcohol, which increase triglyceride production. Choose sources rich in unsaturated triglycerides over saturated ones.
Triglycerides are your body's main form of dietary fat and energy storage, but elevated levels can indicate metabolic issues.
A question about Triglyceride? Ask our nutrition AI.
Ask a question