I had just finished drizzling two teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil into a decaf coffee-dark chocolate stevia-flavored smoothie I had created to replace a sugar- and caffeinated one I loved from a juice chain. Nutritionists have urged adding healthy fats, especially olive oil, to our diets for decades. I'd been practicing as they preached for at least 20 years, since attending and writing about an olive oil tasting that mimicked a wine tasting.

When I placed the smoothie in the freezer to chill slightly before drinking, I was surprised at the first words that jumped off the page of what I was reading: "olive oil." Author Larry Olmsted, though, wasn't adding more laudatory news. I hadn't expected olive oil to be a major player in "Real Food Fake Food: Why You Don't Know What You're Eating & What You Can Do About It."

However, the lucrative product joins sushi-grade fish, kobe and grass-fed beef and lobster as a category that is at risk of fraud. What may or may not appear on olive oil labels is that frauds sometimes add soybean and peanut oils. They can be older stocks and greatly affect the flavor and pose allergy risks. The words "extra-virgin" or "virgin" on labels, he alerts, may mean nothing more than a price markup. In addition, packages marked "pure olive oil" can refer to the lowest allowable grade.

The USDA and FDA have cited staff and cost cuts as challenges they face. As in the case of other possible frauds, Olmsted suggests awareness regarding finding the real thing when it comes to olive oil. Look for markers on labels, like those from international trade groups such as EVA and UNAPROL or "COOC — Certified Extra Virgin" from the California Olive Oil Council, a stamp that was recently formed to help.

Because my level of trust had always been high regarding olive oil and its stellar health reputation, I had never scoured labels before. Before my first smoothie sip just minutes later, though, I got past "first cold pressing" (a good sign regarding freshness and flavor) and bragging about the brand's international popularity on the front of the label.

On the back, it did note that extra-virgin olive oil was the only ingredient. However, per Olmsted's warnings, I was even more relieved to see a small red circle along with words about the size of a pinhead reading: "This seal designates that (this brand) meets the exacting standards of the International Olive Council, worldwide governing body that sets the quality standards for the olive oil industry."

OLIVE OIL-COFFEE-DARK CHOCOLATE SMOOTHIE

1/2 cup decaffeinated coffee beans

4 squares dark chocolate (70 percent cacao)

1 cup unsweetened soymilk

4 tablespoons stevia

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup soy strawberry-flavored yogurt-style product

2 tablespoons strawberry fruit-only spread/jam

1/4 cup blueberries

2 teaspoons certified extra-virgin olive oil

7 ice cubes

Yields 1 large serving.

Place coffee beans in strong blender (or coffee grinder) set to "grate" until ground. Add dark chocolate squares and grate.

Add all other ingredients, except ice cubes, set to "smoothie" and blend. Through small hole in top of blender lid, carefully add one ice cube at a time set to "grind" and grind until smooth. Serve immediately.

AVOCADO-OLIVE OIL SALAD

2 slices thick-cut bacon

2 to 3 heirloom tomatoes, quartered

1 avocado, peeled and sliced

2 tablespoons certified extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Salt, to taste

Yields 2 servings.

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat. Let cool. Roughly crumble. Toss with tomatoes and avocado.

In a small bowl, place olive oil. Whisk rice vinegar and salt into olive oil to emulsify. Pour over salad before serving.

-COOC (California Olive Oil Council)

Photo courtesy of COOC (California Olive Oil Council).

AFTER-WORK GOURMET COOKBOOK SHELF

If your idea of a snack isn't a raw flapjack created from nuts, dates, seeds, oats and fruit, Chef Jamie Oliver would like a word with you. After trying to help clean up Britain's and the United States' school lunch programs, TV chef and cookbook author Oliver has turned his attention to super foods in "Everyday Super Food: Recipes for a Healthier, Happier You." He's written bestsellers on comfort food, but here tells how directing his own and his family's diet to super food ingredients made them feel much more energetic.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.