FoodBozo.com

You seek out organics at the grocery store, and often pay for the privilege. But is what you’re buying really organic? Official organic standards have been in place in this country since 2002, but according to an investigation by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General earlier this month, that bag of organic salad mix you tossed into your cart last week might not even meet basic federal standards. The problem? The Feds simply aren’t enforcing their own rules.

It’s the job of the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) to oversee organic products (ensuring they meet organic standards and carry correct labeling), but the OIG discovered major failings. One of the worst? Organic laws call for periodic residue testing, but no testing program exists. (This boggles the mind, no?)

Read more: Is Anyone Watching Over Organics?

TORONTO – Non-cola soft drinks could soon be spiked with an eye-opening ingredient – the caffeine that’s already added to colas.

Health Canada announced Friday it is authorizing the use of caffeine as a food additive in all carbonated soft drinks, not just cola-type beverages. Beverage companies will be allowed to add synthetic caffeine to non-cola soft drinks in concentrations no higher than 150 parts per million. The maximum amount of caffeine allowed in colas is 200 parts per million.

Read more: Health Canada OKs addition of caffeine to non-cola soft drinks

If you’re like many men out there, you dream of a flat washboard stomach and a six pack. If you?re ready to ditch your evenings in front of the TV for a trip to the gym, and your usual pizza and six pack of beers with a healthier alternative, then it’s definitely an attainable goal.

Diet: Unless you are the very rare exception, diet is the key component in losing abdominal fat and keeping it off. Start by getting rid of all refined carbs (white bread, white pasta, pastry, etc) and trans fats (foods containing hydrogenated oils, like packaged food) from your diet, and eat organic unprocessed food (no chemicals or pesticides.) You should also be eating the appropriate ratio of protein, carbs and fat in ever meal. I’m not a believer of cookie cutter diets, so you may want to look into the Metabolic Typing Diet to determine what proportions are right for you. Keep your body well fueled – most people do the best on 3 main meals and 2 smaller snack meals a day, and well hydrated with clean filtered water. Good food and water will not only help with recovery but will also keep your metabolism going at its ideal pace.

Read more: Get a six pack this summer!