This article is designed to explain the major differences between good and bad fats and take the mystery out hydrogenated oils and trans-fats. The structure of fats: The main part of a fat molecule is made up of carbon atoms chained together with hydrogen atoms attached to their sides. When all of the carbon atoms have hydrogen atoms attached to both sides, they form a saturated fat. If one hydrogen atom is missing, the fat is monounsaturated and fats with multiple hydrogen atoms missing are called polyunsaturated.
Unsaturated oils can either be completely hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated and each process affects fats differently. It is also important to note that saturated fats cannot be hydrogenated, because they have no double bonds or missing hydrogen atoms.
When an unsaturated fat is completely hydrogenated, it essentially becomes a saturated fat. Completely hydrogenated fats are generally only used with fats that are almost completely saturated to begin with and they are less common than partially hydrogenated fats. As the name implies, partially hydrogenated fats do not undergo the full hydrogenation process. In the past it was believed that saturated fats were the unhealthiest fats, but in recent years trans-fats have taken over that title.
It is important to note that since trans-fats are created by altering unsaturated fats, you will never find trans-fats in saturated fats or completely hydrogenated fats. Trans-fats maintain the appearance of a healthy unsaturated fat and the body can't tell the difference between them. Simply exposing unsaturated oils to high temperatures, such as when frying food, will alter double bonds and create trans-fats. Since fats with many double bonds are quite fragile, they can be turned into trans-fats at much lower temperatures than fats with only 1 double bond (monounsaturated).
Simply stated, anything that disrupts your body's normal physiological functioning will effect fat loss and hydrogenated and trans-fats prevent or disrupt many necessary chemical reactions within the body, thus making fat loss more difficult and less efficient.
In addition, products containing hydrogenated oils and trans-fats are generally unhealthy for other reasons and also contain additional ingredients detrimental to fat loss. Hydrogen Cars - The Difference in a Hydrogen Car and a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car
Are Hydrogen cars all the same? The Two main types of hydrogen powered vehicles are:
1. Hydrogen Cars
2. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars.
A Hydrogen Car like the BMW H2R ("Hydrogen Record Car") runs on liquid hydrogen fuel. A Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car like the Honda FCX Clarity utilizes a hydrogen fuel cell which converts hydrogen gas directly into electricity that powers an electric motors or motors.
Hydrogen Cars Continue to Progress
Hydrogen cars may convert hydrogen to mechanical energy or power through two ways. A more common way for hydrogen vehicles, though, is through fuel-cells.
Fuel cell vehicles can either be powered with pure hydrogen gas stored on the vehicle directly or from a secondary fuel that transmits hydrogen like methanol, ethanol, or natural gas.
To make a hydrogen transport system work, it is important that two things be developed: an efficient and extensive hydrogen highway and a dependable hydrogen vehicle.
Hydrogen highways are a series of hydrogen filling stations on a well-known route. It is essential to develop hydrogen highways to promote use of hydrogen vehicles especially since hydrogen has a small amount of energy by volume.
GM has hydrogen cars that have a lithium-ion battery pack which can run on electricity and on energy produced by hydrogen fuel cells.