About Dr. Olson
Beth Olson is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in Nutritional Sciences. She has a BS in Biochemistry from UW-Madison and a PhD in Nutrition from UC-Davis. Prior to coming to UW, she worked at Michigan State University and the Kellogg Company in Battle Creek, MI.
-
Seasonal Produce
You’ve probably heard the term “seasonal produce,” but what does that mean? Seasonal produce is bought and consumed close to the time that it is harvested. For example, you wouldn’t buy sweet corn in January in Wisconsin, because it’s harvested from July through September. On the other hand, turnips would be a great choice because…
-
The Mediterranean Diet
Since the 1960s, the Mediterranean diet has been known as heart healthy, and today its popularity continues, even being named the #1 diet of 2021 by US News & World Report. Interest in the Mediterranean diet pattern began when researchers noted fewer numbers of deaths from cardiovascular disease in people groups living on the Mediterranean…
-
New News: Metals in Baby Food -What Does it Mean?
The release of government report caused headlines in noting that many popular baby food products contain the “heavy” metals arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury. The report followed up on studies conducted by consumer and environmental groups. There is no “safe” amount for any of these particular metals, but they do occur in in our food…
-
Health At Every Size
Health at Every Size (HAES) is a growing movement advocating for a more inclusive definition of a “healthy” body. It teaches that weight should not be the most important measure of health, and that overall health can improve with positive lifestyle changes at any size. The message is often misunderstood as ignoring obesity, or the…
-
New Year’s Resolutions and Fad Diets
The low success rate of New Year’s Resolutions is common knowledge, and weight loss is the number 1 most common resolution according to DHS. But weight loss is complex and case dependent, which may be one reason why it fails so often. Unfortunately, advertisements claiming groundbreaking science, unbelievably fast weight loss, and diet “hacks” encourage…
-
Caffeine
I am often asked about caffeine-what does it do in the body? Is it safe? Here is a short piece from NIH which is a nice summary on the effects of caffeine. From this NIH article, a paragraph on how it “wakes you up”: “So how does caffeine wake you up? Your body naturally produces…
-
Protein for Older Adults
We often hear that “Americans eat too much protein”. Do we? That may depend on who you are and what your goals are for eating protein. Some folks may need more protein than others-one of these is older adults. What is protein? Protein is made by linking together its building blocks: amino acids – we…
-
The New Food Label
Have you ever looked at a nutrition label and felt like you were reading a foreign language? Chances are you’re not the only one who has trouble understanding what these labels mean. The most recent updates to the nutrition facts panel not only include slightly different information, but they also made the label more reader-friendly.…
-
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines
The US Dietary Guidelines (DGs) were first developed in 1980, and must be updated every 5 years – led by the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services (USDA and HHS). The DGs are to “inform federal food, nutrition and health programs and policies” but also serve as a tool to guide health professionals…