Olive oil has become the fat of choice for health-conscious cooks in America, reports the Utah newspaper, Deseret Morning News. Americans are catching on to the fact that olive oil, for long a staple in Mediterranean countries, has more uses than salad dressing and bread dipping.

Canned tuna, when packed in olive oil, has elevated its prestige among foodies. And on the baking front, olive oil has found its way into cakes, cookies and pies. Utahn Micki Sannar of Highland recently self-published a book called Olive Oil Desserts, which contains 52 recipes with favourites such as chocolate chip cookies, cheesecake and brownies.

Sannar said she started baking with olive oil for her family about five years ago, when her husband and she were diagnosed with high LDL (low-density lipoprotein, or "bad") cholesterol. Switching from butter, margarine and shortening to olive oil is part of what she calls “stealth nutrition.”