 In the 1960s , it was discovered that medium @-@ chain triglycerides ( MCTs ) produce more ketone bodies per unit of energy than normal dietary fats ( which are mostly long @-@ chain triglycerides ) . MCTs are more efficiently absorbed and are rapidly transported to the liver via the hepatic portal system rather than the lymphatic system . The severe carbohydrate restrictions of the classic ketogenic diet made it difficult for parents to produce palatable meals that their children would tolerate . In 1971 , Peter Huttenlocher devised a ketogenic diet where about 60 % of the calories came from the MCT oil , and this allowed more protein and up to three times as much carbohydrate as the classic ketogenic diet . The oil was mixed with at least twice its volume of skimmed milk , chilled , and sipped during the meal or incorporated into food . He tested it on twelve children and adolescents with intractable seizures . Most children improved in both seizure control and alertness , results that were similar to the classic ketogenic diet . Gastrointestinal upset was a problem , which led one patient to abandon the diet , but meals were easier to prepare and better accepted by the children . The MCT diet replaced the classic ketogenic diet in many hospitals , though some devised diets that were a combination of the two . 
