40,000,000 Bq of iodine-131 in a single bed of kelp off Southern California — Amount most likely larger

Source: Environmental Science & Technology
Author: Steven L. Manley and Christopher G. Lowe, Department of Biological Sciences, California State University
Publication Date (Web): March 6, 2012

[...] Macrocystis is the keystone species supporting the kelp forest ecosystem, which is highly productive with complex community structure. Using a canopy density of 3.5 kg fresh weight m−2, the amount of 131I present in California kelp ranged from 0.3 to 1.3 kBq m−2 of canopy.11 Our estimate of the area covered by the Corona del Mar Macrocystis canopy was 33 000 m2 yielding a total of 40 MBq 131I sequestered into this kelp bed canopy. The total amount of 131I taken up by the canopy was most likely larger than that measured in the canopy tissue because iodine taken up by canopy blades is translocated throughout the kelp body as iodide. [...]

40,000,000 Bq of iodine-131 in a single bed of kelp off Southern California — Amount most likely larger

Source: Environmental Science & Technology
Author: Steven L. Manley and Christopher G. Lowe, Department of Biological Sciences, California State University
Publication Date (Web): March 6, 2012

[...] Macrocystis is the keystone species supporting the kelp forest ecosystem, which is highly productive with complex community structure. Using a canopy density of 3.5 kg fresh weight m−2, the amount of 131I present in California kelp ranged from 0.3 to 1.3 kBq m−2 of canopy.11 Our estimate of the area covered by the Corona del Mar Macrocystis canopy was 33 000 m2 yielding a total of 40 MBq 131I sequestered into this kelp bed canopy. The total amount of 131I taken up by the canopy was most likely larger than that measured in the canopy tissue because iodine taken up by canopy blades is translocated throughout the kelp body as iodide. [...]

Fasting: Day 4

It's helpful to be clear about why you are fasting.

Set a goal for yourself and stick to it, come what may. For you will be tested. Every emotional bonding moment in your past that has some relation to food will make its way into your world. A great dinner you had once with loved ones...that special and fun bar-b-que...an awesome breakfast on a sunny morning with the family... All of these and more carry with them the deep-seated happy spots of your life. They then become triggers to old behaviors and dietary paradigms you may have outgrown or simply left behind. You smell a favorite food and all the associated and very deep feelings of satiation and joy activate in your core making for a resonance draw. This becomes your pull, which on an inner level says, "eat that food and have those times and feelings again."

Of course this cannot be. The past is gone. Yet the experience and feelings remain all of your days. So do the triggers connected with such times.

When this happens, take a moment and tell  your mind, body, and soul that you recognize what is happening and - for the good of all - are establishing a new reality based upon clarity and spiritual reason. Once you do this, the power of the past over your current reality will begin to fade and lose its strength.

This is very important. Because it indicates the soul so involved is seeing how things work and is taking those steps to dictate a better future for the mind, the heart, and the path of life as guided by the divine rather than the predicatable and programmed patterns of what was and in fact, can no longer be. Ever again.

Take special note of the above and grow. Or, ignore it, and be the same old easily played programmed robot you've always been. And how has that worked out for you? You know, being a droid of social and mental conditioning of the controllers who seek to make all mankind a slave for their purposes.

With fasting, regardless of the motive in action, take advantage of that clearing and cleaning time to make a new you, under the loving hand of God.

I mean, why not?

Fasting: Day 4

It's helpful to be clear about why you are fasting.

Set a goal for yourself and stick to it, come what may. For you will be tested. Every emotional bonding moment in your past that has some relation to food will make its way into your world. A great dinner you had once with loved ones...that special and fun bar-b-que...an awesome breakfast on a sunny morning with the family... All of these and more carry with them the deep-seated happy spots of your life. They then become triggers to old behaviors and dietary paradigms you may have outgrown or simply left behind. You smell a favorite food and all the associated and very deep feelings of satiation and joy activate in your core making for a resonance draw. This becomes your pull, which on an inner level says, "eat that food and have those times and feelings again."

Of course this cannot be. The past is gone. Yet the experience and feelings remain all of your days. So do the triggers connected with such times.

When this happens, take a moment and tell  your mind, body, and soul that you recognize what is happening and - for the good of all - are establishing a new reality based upon clarity and spiritual reason. Once you do this, the power of the past over your current reality will begin to fade and lose its strength.

This is very important. Because it indicates the soul so involved is seeing how things work and is taking those steps to dictate a better future for the mind, the heart, and the path of life as guided by the divine rather than the predicatable and programmed patterns of what was and in fact, can no longer be. Ever again.

Take special note of the above and grow. Or, ignore it, and be the same old easily played programmed robot you've always been. And how has that worked out for you? You know, being a droid of social and mental conditioning of the controllers who seek to make all mankind a slave for their purposes.

With fasting, regardless of the motive in action, take advantage of that clearing and cleaning time to make a new you, under the loving hand of God.

I mean, why not?

The Fast: Day 3

Still no hunger pangs. Drinking lots of water, orange juice, apple/carrot juices, etc. Metabolism is adjusting to the lack of solid food and is noticeable.

Seem to be sleeping in a great deal with many naps necessary as blood sugar levels adjust to the new paradigm. Happily, weekends make that easy to do, especially during the first few days.

It's easy to cook meals for the boys and refrain from partaking in all that home cooked, organic goodness. Discipline...disciplines the thing!

Right now...Randy is singing these beautiful songs, as he is wont to do. He really has an angelic voice.

Usually, the first three days are the most difficult. Food addictions, cravings, mental programming and cultural conditioning of buffoons (you'll die if you don't eat! Hahahahhaaha) all present obstacles which must be surmounted if there is to be success. After day three, the body adjusts and you are in the middle of it all. which is, mainly, the disgorging of toxins, mucoid plaque in the intestine, and junk that represents all the poisons taken in over a lifetime of living in the modern western world.

Because of this, the skin may appear mottled, bags under the eyes, soreness from old injuries, and on and on. This all happens because the body is cleaning, repairing, and healing all that long term damage. It can be tough, because the pleasure going in is the pain going out.

Remember that. For it is a great unspoken truth of earth. Ask any addict who has undergone withdrawels. This also applies to food and drink. All those chemicals, additives to make it taste "better" all have a price. And that price will be paid, either now in cleansing discomfort. Or in disease.

Like cancer. Or diabetes. Or gout. Or....

The Fast: Day 3

Still no hunger pangs. Drinking lots of water, orange juice, apple/carrot juices, etc. Metabolism is adjusting to the lack of solid food and is noticeable.

Seem to be sleeping in a great deal with many naps necessary as blood sugar levels adjust to the new paradigm. Happily, weekends make that easy to do, especially during the first few days.

It's easy to cook meals for the boys and refrain from partaking in all that home cooked, organic goodness. Discipline...disciplines the thing!

Right now...Randy is singing these beautiful songs, as he is wont to do. He really has an angelic voice.

Usually, the first three days are the most difficult. Food addictions, cravings, mental programming and cultural conditioning of buffoons (you'll die if you don't eat! Hahahahhaaha) all present obstacles which must be surmounted if there is to be success. After day three, the body adjusts and you are in the middle of it all. which is, mainly, the disgorging of toxins, mucoid plaque in the intestine, and junk that represents all the poisons taken in over a lifetime of living in the modern western world.

Because of this, the skin may appear mottled, bags under the eyes, soreness from old injuries, and on and on. This all happens because the body is cleaning, repairing, and healing all that long term damage. It can be tough, because the pleasure going in is the pain going out.

Remember that. For it is a great unspoken truth of earth. Ask any addict who has undergone withdrawels. This also applies to food and drink. All those chemicals, additives to make it taste "better" all have a price. And that price will be paid, either now in cleansing discomfort. Or in disease.

Like cancer. Or diabetes. Or gout. Or....

Day Two of the latest fast (as they go by)

Embarked upon yet another fast, liquid diet only--juices, water, whatever aqueous comestibles appeal at the time. No hunger pains or urges to eat. But that figures given the fact I've done many fasts over the years and have conditioned my body to expect long periods without solid foods. As with anything of this sort, you need a steely resolve to see the thing through to the other side.

I'll be reporting here any notable events as might occur when doing a fast.

There are all kinds of reasons for fasting:
-to heal the body of injuries and/or malfunctions
-for spiritual purposes, of which fasting clarifies the body to a state of purity that allows for an unpolluted channel to divine insight. Christ fasted for 40 days, then proceeded to do things unequaled since.
-to rid the body of toxic buildups in the bones and fatty tissues, where toxins generally reside. Toxin and heavy metal removal is the cornerstone of a healthy body, free from systemic disease.
-to simply do it, to see if you have what it takes to take control of your body.
-for penance. Gandhi frequently fasted because people in his country behaved miserably and he felt obliquely responsible for inciting behavior in them quite before they were ready for his level of advanced understanding of model living.
-unavailability of food supplies. This is self-sacrifice, denying food for one's self so that others may eat.

I've fasted for all of the above reasons at one time or another. Or combinations of reasons, killing several birds with one stone, as they say. Why not rid your body of toxins while your are fasting for self-sacrifice.

Whenever any fasting is undertaken, be sure you understand the needs of the body, are able to listen to it with clarity so that your fast is safe and sane, and always, always pray for guidance every step of the way. Divine aid in such endeavors is more than appropriate; it's simply wisdom in action.

It's also wise to do a few days of enemas to quickly clear to lower intestine of any mucoid plaque buildup. This prevents toxins from re-uptaking into the liver via the hepatic artery located in the sigmoid colon.

Of course, lots of water and clear, organic juices that are non-pasturized, but are made at home with a quality single or dual gear juicer running at low rpm. This gurantees fresh, vitamin popping living waters full of colloidal minerals you body must have when fasting.

Stay tuned.

Day Two of the latest fast (as they go by)

Embarked upon yet another fast, liquid diet only--juices, water, whatever aqueous comestibles appeal at the time. No hunger pains or urges to eat. But that figures given the fact I've done many fasts over the years and have conditioned my body to expect long periods without solid foods. As with anything of this sort, you need a steely resolve to see the thing through to the other side.

I'll be reporting here any notable events as might occur when doing a fast.

There are all kinds of reasons for fasting:
-to heal the body of injuries and/or malfunctions
-for spiritual purposes, of which fasting clarifies the body to a state of purity that allows for an unpolluted channel to divine insight. Christ fasted for 40 days, then proceeded to do things unequaled since.
-to rid the body of toxic buildups in the bones and fatty tissues, where toxins generally reside. Toxin and heavy metal removal is the cornerstone of a healthy body, free from systemic disease.
-to simply do it, to see if you have what it takes to take control of your body.
-for penance. Gandhi frequently fasted because people in his country behaved miserably and he felt obliquely responsible for inciting behavior in them quite before they were ready for his level of advanced understanding of model living.
-unavailability of food supplies. This is self-sacrifice, denying food for one's self so that others may eat.

I've fasted for all of the above reasons at one time or another. Or combinations of reasons, killing several birds with one stone, as they say. Why not rid your body of toxins while your are fasting for self-sacrifice.

Whenever any fasting is undertaken, be sure you understand the needs of the body, are able to listen to it with clarity so that your fast is safe and sane, and always, always pray for guidance every step of the way. Divine aid in such endeavors is more than appropriate; it's simply wisdom in action.

It's also wise to do a few days of enemas to quickly clear to lower intestine of any mucoid plaque buildup. This prevents toxins from re-uptaking into the liver via the hepatic artery located in the sigmoid colon.

Of course, lots of water and clear, organic juices that are non-pasturized, but are made at home with a quality single or dual gear juicer running at low rpm. This gurantees fresh, vitamin popping living waters full of colloidal minerals you body must have when fasting.

Stay tuned.

Health department raids community picnic and destroys all food with bleach

http://www.adistinctiveworld.net/?p=6091

Health department raids community picnic and destroys all food with bleach

http://www.adistinctiveworld.net/?p=6091

Fighting for Nutrition and education, school uses police and attack dogs on kids protesting

Fighting for Nutrition and education, school uses police and attack dogs on kids protesting

Pink Slime

Pink Slime

"Worse than torture... They're actually torturing you mentally and physically to break you down..."

http://www.naturalnews.com/035208_James_Stewart_torture_county_jail.html

"I thought I was gonna die in there..."

In this exclusive interview, you can hear James Stewart describe, in his own words, the shocking details of prisoner abuse right here in America. Among the highlights from his interview with Mike Adams:

• How James was subjected to severe food deprivation.

• How he was interrogated by deputies and accused of being a "sovereign," then branded with a red arm band (Nazi-style) to falsely indicate that he was a danger to the general population.

• How James was shackled in long chains wrapped around his waist multiple times, then had his hands cuffed behind his back which was bound to the heavy waist chain to restrict his movement. His handcuffs were so tight he thought his wrists would break.

• James was then handcuffed to a cold bench, restricting his movement to just six inches, then left on the bench for 4-5 hours.

• James was then forcibly subjected to various medical tests, including forced chest X-rays even while he was handcuffed.

• He was placed in a cold cell wearing only a T-shirt and pants, where he soon began to suffer from hypothermia and found himself violently shivering just to stay alive.

• How he was made to suffer through total sleep deprivation all night long as other prisoners were screaming and banging on the walls.

• His cell was then flooded with raw human sewage, which flowed into his jail cell 2-3 inches deep, covering his shoes and shirt. LA County jail guards then ordered James to clean up all the raw sewage in his cell by handing him a small hand-held squeegee and demanding that he squeegee out all the raw sewage himself (which he reluctantly did).

• He was then forced to stay in the putrid raw sewage cell for over 30 hours, fighting off nausea and living in bacteriological filth that threatened his health.

• All along, the LA County prison guards gloated over their treatment of prisoners while laughing and joking about their power to subject prisoners to such abuse. This behavior openly mimics that of Gitmo guards who took pictures gloating over their torture and murder of prisoners of war.

• During this entire process, James was not allowed a single phone call nor any visit from an attorney. His right to speak to an attorney was repeatedly denied.

• At no point was James notified of what he was being charged with. He was never presented with an arrest warrant nor were any charges explained to him.

• James was mysteriously "lost" in the system and LA County officials claimed they did not know where he was. This was apparently a deliberate attempt to subject an individual to drawn-out torture without legal representation and make sure no one could locate them to check on their health or arrest status.

"Worse than torture... They're actually torturing you mentally and physically to break you down..."

These are the actual words of James Stewart that you will hear in this interview:

• "I thought I was gonna die in there."

• "It was worse than torture. They're actually torturing you mentally and physically to break you down."

• "I wrote the 'torture' on a piece of toilet paper to try to tell everybody what I had gone through, because I was worried they were going to mentally break me and put me in a psych ward."

• "What I experienced in downtown LA was brutality."

• "It's trauma. And they create this thing where you're not even sure what's coming next. What has this country come to? I don't sleep well at night right now, and I don't think anyone would if they had been what I've been through."

• "I'm shocked that this is America. Because it seems like you're in some third world country, in a gulag, like in the movie Midnight Express, where you're absolutely just tortured. That was the experience I had. Your mind goes, how can this be? This is America?"

NaturalNews calls on Amnesty International, ACLU to intervene

What we are witnessing here is a gross violation of civil rights and human rights, not to mention fundamental due process. The treatment unleashed upon James was not merely against the law in California, it was also a violation of federal law and a violation of the Geneva Convention and its ban on torturing prisoners of war.

"What happened to Stewart is horrendous," health freedom attorney Jonathan Emord told NaturalNews. He's the author of the new book "Restore the Republic" which lays out a plan to overthrow tyranny and restore a government that works on behalf of the people instead of declaring the People to be the enemy.

The bail amount set for James ($1 million) and the torture to which he was subjected clearly indicate that James Stewart is a political prisoner of the State of California, which has decided to spend millions of dollars in taxpayer money to target and incarcerate a senior citizen farmer. (By comparison, bail for alleged child rapist and sex pimp Jerry Sandusky, former Penn State sports coach, was only set at $100,000 and was unsecured!)

NaturalNews calls upon Amnesty International and the American Civil Liberties Union to intervene in this extraordinary violation of basic human rights. For the record, James Stewart has no criminal record and is a permaculture farmer and fresh food advocate. His "crime" consists entirely of arranging for the distribution of raw milk to customers who actually line up to access this nourishing food (people love it!).

NaturalNews has no financial ties to James Stewart nor Rawesome Foods and has been the leading source of free press information covering this story. The mainstream media so far refuses to cover this story, most likely out of financial loyalty to the conventional (processed) dairy industry which stands to lose tens of millions of dollars if raw milk is allowed to be openly and legally sold.

Assistance efforts for James Stewart and Sharon Palmer, the other person arrested in this case, can be emailed to:
friendsofhealthyfamilyfarms@gmail.com

"Worse than torture... They're actually torturing you mentally and physically to break you down..."

http://www.naturalnews.com/035208_James_Stewart_torture_county_jail.html

"I thought I was gonna die in there..."

In this exclusive interview, you can hear James Stewart describe, in his own words, the shocking details of prisoner abuse right here in America. Among the highlights from his interview with Mike Adams:

• How James was subjected to severe food deprivation.

• How he was interrogated by deputies and accused of being a "sovereign," then branded with a red arm band (Nazi-style) to falsely indicate that he was a danger to the general population.

• How James was shackled in long chains wrapped around his waist multiple times, then had his hands cuffed behind his back which was bound to the heavy waist chain to restrict his movement. His handcuffs were so tight he thought his wrists would break.

• James was then handcuffed to a cold bench, restricting his movement to just six inches, then left on the bench for 4-5 hours.

• James was then forcibly subjected to various medical tests, including forced chest X-rays even while he was handcuffed.

• He was placed in a cold cell wearing only a T-shirt and pants, where he soon began to suffer from hypothermia and found himself violently shivering just to stay alive.

• How he was made to suffer through total sleep deprivation all night long as other prisoners were screaming and banging on the walls.

• His cell was then flooded with raw human sewage, which flowed into his jail cell 2-3 inches deep, covering his shoes and shirt. LA County jail guards then ordered James to clean up all the raw sewage in his cell by handing him a small hand-held squeegee and demanding that he squeegee out all the raw sewage himself (which he reluctantly did).

• He was then forced to stay in the putrid raw sewage cell for over 30 hours, fighting off nausea and living in bacteriological filth that threatened his health.

• All along, the LA County prison guards gloated over their treatment of prisoners while laughing and joking about their power to subject prisoners to such abuse. This behavior openly mimics that of Gitmo guards who took pictures gloating over their torture and murder of prisoners of war.

• During this entire process, James was not allowed a single phone call nor any visit from an attorney. His right to speak to an attorney was repeatedly denied.

• At no point was James notified of what he was being charged with. He was never presented with an arrest warrant nor were any charges explained to him.

• James was mysteriously "lost" in the system and LA County officials claimed they did not know where he was. This was apparently a deliberate attempt to subject an individual to drawn-out torture without legal representation and make sure no one could locate them to check on their health or arrest status.

"Worse than torture... They're actually torturing you mentally and physically to break you down..."

These are the actual words of James Stewart that you will hear in this interview:

• "I thought I was gonna die in there."

• "It was worse than torture. They're actually torturing you mentally and physically to break you down."

• "I wrote the 'torture' on a piece of toilet paper to try to tell everybody what I had gone through, because I was worried they were going to mentally break me and put me in a psych ward."

• "What I experienced in downtown LA was brutality."

• "It's trauma. And they create this thing where you're not even sure what's coming next. What has this country come to? I don't sleep well at night right now, and I don't think anyone would if they had been what I've been through."

• "I'm shocked that this is America. Because it seems like you're in some third world country, in a gulag, like in the movie Midnight Express, where you're absolutely just tortured. That was the experience I had. Your mind goes, how can this be? This is America?"

NaturalNews calls on Amnesty International, ACLU to intervene

What we are witnessing here is a gross violation of civil rights and human rights, not to mention fundamental due process. The treatment unleashed upon James was not merely against the law in California, it was also a violation of federal law and a violation of the Geneva Convention and its ban on torturing prisoners of war.

"What happened to Stewart is horrendous," health freedom attorney Jonathan Emord told NaturalNews. He's the author of the new book "Restore the Republic" which lays out a plan to overthrow tyranny and restore a government that works on behalf of the people instead of declaring the People to be the enemy.

The bail amount set for James ($1 million) and the torture to which he was subjected clearly indicate that James Stewart is a political prisoner of the State of California, which has decided to spend millions of dollars in taxpayer money to target and incarcerate a senior citizen farmer. (By comparison, bail for alleged child rapist and sex pimp Jerry Sandusky, former Penn State sports coach, was only set at $100,000 and was unsecured!)

NaturalNews calls upon Amnesty International and the American Civil Liberties Union to intervene in this extraordinary violation of basic human rights. For the record, James Stewart has no criminal record and is a permaculture farmer and fresh food advocate. His "crime" consists entirely of arranging for the distribution of raw milk to customers who actually line up to access this nourishing food (people love it!).

NaturalNews has no financial ties to James Stewart nor Rawesome Foods and has been the leading source of free press information covering this story. The mainstream media so far refuses to cover this story, most likely out of financial loyalty to the conventional (processed) dairy industry which stands to lose tens of millions of dollars if raw milk is allowed to be openly and legally sold.

Assistance efforts for James Stewart and Sharon Palmer, the other person arrested in this case, can be emailed to:
friendsofhealthyfamilyfarms@gmail.com

Toxic rapeseed and other low-grade oils with additives are being passed off as olive oil

NaturalNews) As much as 50 percent of the olive oil sold in the U.S. is not actually pure olive oil, as some brands claiming to be "extra-virgin" or "100 percent Italian," for instance, have actually been adulterated with toxic rapeseed oil, more popularly known as canola oil, soybean oil, and other low-grade oils. In his new book Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil, olive oil expert Tom Mueller explains that not all olive oil is the same, and offers advice on how to spot authentic olive oil amidst all the imposters.

During a recent interview with Terry Gross from NPR's Fresh Air, Mueller explains how olive oil adulteration is much more widespread than people think, if they are even aware of it at all. For olive oil to truly be considered "extra-virgin," it has to come from fresh, crushed olives, and not be refined in any way or contain any chemical solvents. It also has to pass certain tests of integrity in order to be considered legitimate, for which many of the brands popularly sold today would fail.

"The legal definition simply says it has to pass certain chemical tests, and in a sensory way it has to taste and smell vaguely of fresh olives, because it's a fruit, and have no faults," said Mueller. "But many of the extra-virgin olive oils on our shelves today in America don't clear [the legal definition]."

Beige olive oil in plastic bottles is most likely adulterated

Real extra-virgin olive oil should have a vibrant, almost peppery flavor, for instance, and not taste bland or watered down. It is also typically stored in dark, glass bottles so that its array of health-promoting antioxidants, its taste, and its forceful green color -- yes, olive oil should be green, not yellowish in color -- are not harmed by light or damaging UV rays from the sun. For this reason, avoiding olive oil in clear, plastic bottles is recommended.

"What [real olive oil] gets you from a health perspective is a cocktail of 200-plus highly beneficial ingredients that explain why olive oil has been the heart of the Mediterranean diet," added Mueller during his interview with NPR. "Bad olives have free radicals and impurities, and then you've lost that wonderful cocktail ... that you get from fresh fruit, from real extra-virgin olive oil."

Most imported extra-virgin olive oil appears questionable in authenticity

The University of California, Davis published a report on olive oil back in 2010 entitled Tests indicate that imported 'extra virgin' olive oil often fails international and USDA standards. In this report, researchers found that 69 percent of imported and ten percent of California-based oils labeled as olive oil did not pass International Olive Council (IOC) and US Department of Agriculture sensory standards for extra virgin olive oil.

Of those brands tested, the following failed to meet extra-virgin olive oil standards:

• Bertolli
• Carapelli
• Filippo Berio
• Mazzola
• Mezzetta
• Newman's Own
• Pompeian
• Rachel Ray
• Safeway
• Star
• Whole Foods

The following brands were found to meet extra-virgin olive oil standards as part of the study:

• Corto Olive
• California Olive Ranch
• Kirkland Organic
• Lucero (Ascolano)
• McEvoy Ranch Organic
http://olivecenter.ucdavis.edu/news-events/news/files/olive%20oil%20final%20071410%20.pdf

Toxic rapeseed and other low-grade oils with additives are being passed off as olive oil

NaturalNews) As much as 50 percent of the olive oil sold in the U.S. is not actually pure olive oil, as some brands claiming to be "extra-virgin" or "100 percent Italian," for instance, have actually been adulterated with toxic rapeseed oil, more popularly known as canola oil, soybean oil, and other low-grade oils. In his new book Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil, olive oil expert Tom Mueller explains that not all olive oil is the same, and offers advice on how to spot authentic olive oil amidst all the imposters.

During a recent interview with Terry Gross from NPR's Fresh Air, Mueller explains how olive oil adulteration is much more widespread than people think, if they are even aware of it at all. For olive oil to truly be considered "extra-virgin," it has to come from fresh, crushed olives, and not be refined in any way or contain any chemical solvents. It also has to pass certain tests of integrity in order to be considered legitimate, for which many of the brands popularly sold today would fail.

"The legal definition simply says it has to pass certain chemical tests, and in a sensory way it has to taste and smell vaguely of fresh olives, because it's a fruit, and have no faults," said Mueller. "But many of the extra-virgin olive oils on our shelves today in America don't clear [the legal definition]."

Beige olive oil in plastic bottles is most likely adulterated

Real extra-virgin olive oil should have a vibrant, almost peppery flavor, for instance, and not taste bland or watered down. It is also typically stored in dark, glass bottles so that its array of health-promoting antioxidants, its taste, and its forceful green color -- yes, olive oil should be green, not yellowish in color -- are not harmed by light or damaging UV rays from the sun. For this reason, avoiding olive oil in clear, plastic bottles is recommended.

"What [real olive oil] gets you from a health perspective is a cocktail of 200-plus highly beneficial ingredients that explain why olive oil has been the heart of the Mediterranean diet," added Mueller during his interview with NPR. "Bad olives have free radicals and impurities, and then you've lost that wonderful cocktail ... that you get from fresh fruit, from real extra-virgin olive oil."

Most imported extra-virgin olive oil appears questionable in authenticity

The University of California, Davis published a report on olive oil back in 2010 entitled Tests indicate that imported 'extra virgin' olive oil often fails international and USDA standards. In this report, researchers found that 69 percent of imported and ten percent of California-based oils labeled as olive oil did not pass International Olive Council (IOC) and US Department of Agriculture sensory standards for extra virgin olive oil.

Of those brands tested, the following failed to meet extra-virgin olive oil standards:

• Bertolli
• Carapelli
• Filippo Berio
• Mazzola
• Mezzetta
• Newman's Own
• Pompeian
• Rachel Ray
• Safeway
• Star
• Whole Foods

The following brands were found to meet extra-virgin olive oil standards as part of the study:

• Corto Olive
• California Olive Ranch
• Kirkland Organic
• Lucero (Ascolano)
• McEvoy Ranch Organic
http://olivecenter.ucdavis.edu/news-events/news/files/olive%20oil%20final%20071410%20.pdf