Triglycerides are a large and varied category of fats found in both plants and animals. Our bodies convert excess dietary calories into triglycerides, which are then stored in the cells of fat tissue; these energy-rich triglycerides can then be released later into the bloodstream as needed. Most triglycerides in the blood are packaged in the form of very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL); smaller quantities are carried in low-density lipoproteins (LDL or “bad” cholesterol) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL or “good” cholesterol).