Triglycerides are the chemical form in which most fat exists in food as well as in the body.
They're also present in blood plasma and, in association with cholesterol , form the plasma lipids. Triglycerides in plasma are derived from fats eaten in foods or made in the body from other energy sources like carbohydrates. Calories ingested in a meal and not used immediately by tissues are converted to triglycerides and transported to fat cells to be stored. Hormones regulate the release of triglycerides from fat tissue so they meet the body's needs for energy between meals. Excess triglycerides in plasma is called hypertriglyceridemia .