Is fasting good for you? - BBC Science Focus Magazine

Food provides the cells in our bodies with their fuel: glucose. Our bodies release a certain amount of glucose into the blood and store the rest as glycogen, releasing it as needed. Once that supply is used up – after at least 12 hours without food – our fat stores are called upon.

Burning of fats actually makes the body less hungry, something which is being researched by dieticians studying metabolism. It is also observed that fasting dampens certain types of hormones, reducing the risk of breast cancer.

Restricting one’s food intake forces the body to start burning stored fat, but complete fasting is not recommended by Scientists, who advise on intermittent fasting, where only 500 to 800 calories are consumed for 2 days in a week, with the rest of the days on a normal diet.

Fasting for longer periods is not recommended without medical supervision.