What is a ketone?

Answer 1

>> it is poison inside your body (<-- this information has been stated as incorrect)

this is wrong, and is not a helpful answer.

ketones are produced by the liver as an alternative fuel for the brain, when carbohydrate is not supplied as fuel.

Ketones are a class of organic (carbon containing) molecules which contain an oxygen atom double bonded to a carbon NOT on the end of a carbon chain. The simplest ketone is acetone (diagram formatting may be disrupted):

O

C

/ \

H3C CH3

OR CH3C(O)CH3 where the brackets indicate the oxygen is bonded to the middle carbon, not the right most one.

Answer 2

Ketones are substances that are made when the body breaks down fat for energy. Normally, your body gets the energy it needs from carbohydrate in your diet. But stored fat is broken down and ketones are made if your diet does not contain enough carbohydrate to supply the body with sugar (glucose) for energy or if your body cannot use blood sugar (glucose) properly.

Answer 3

The official definition for the word ketones is "an organic compound containing a carbonyl group =C=O bonded to two hydrocarbon groups, made by oxidizing secondary alcohols. The simplest such compound is acetone."

Answer 4

Ketone Bodies are chemicals that the body makes when there is not enough insulin in the blood and it must break down fat for its energy.