{"id":35512,"date":"2019-04-08T16:41:29","date_gmt":"2019-04-08T14:41:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/?p=35512"},"modified":"2026-11-03T17:07:11","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T16:07:11","slug":"nutritional-ketosis-introduction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/nutritional-ketosis-introduction\/","title":{"rendered":"Nutritional ketosis: an introduction"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is nutritional ketosis?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

With a carbohydrate-rich diet containing foods such as potatoes, cereals, fruit and pulses, glucose is an important fuel. The brain normally relies heavily on glucose, although it can also use ketone bodies; long-chain fatty acids do not readily cross the blood\u2013brain barrier.<\/span><\/p>\n

Glycogen stores are limited. When carbohydrate intake is sharply reduced, liver glycogen falls and other pathways become more prominent, including gluconeogenesis, the production of glucose within the body, and <\/span>ketogenesis<\/b>, the production of <\/span>ketone bodies<\/b>. Increased circulating ketones in this context are called nutritional ketosis.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What are ketone bodies?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Ketone bodies are small molecules produced mainly in liver mitochondria from fatty acids. The 3 usually described are acetone, acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate. Their concentrations and use change with the metabolic situation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ketones cross the blood\u2013brain barrier and can supply energy alongside glucose. <\/span>During prolonged fasting or adaptation they may supply a substantial share of brain energy, sometimes approaching the 70% figure cited in the original; this is not a fixed result after just a few days.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Ketone<\/p>\n

How can nutritional ketosis be reached?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Ketosis can arise through fasting or a very-low-carbohydrate, higher-fat approach known as a keto diet<\/a>. Neither is automatically suitable for everyone. The carbohydrate threshold varies, and a nutritionally adequate plan needs careful assessment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Foods commonly restricted in such plans include:<\/span><\/p>\n