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.
-
Addressing Food Insecurity Among UW Students
Alumni Spotlight: Agnes Sherman By Beth Olson The course NS540: Community Nutrition and Health Equity, includes speakers working in different areas of community nutrition to expose students to possible career opportunities in the dietetics profession. An alumni of the Nutritional Sciences department’s Nutrition and Dietetics program, Agnes Sherman, RDN, recently spoke to the class about food insecurity among college students. Agnes began her career in clinical dietetics, moved to food service administration in K12…
-
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030
By Beth Olson, PhD The newest version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), for 2025-2030, were recently released and garnered more media attention than previous releases. This was in part because the new DGAs were promoted as being a significant change from previous versions and better aligned with the goal of reducing chronic disease…
-
Falls Prevention Awareness Week, September 22-26
By Beth Olson Falls Prevention Awareness Week for 2025 is September 22-26. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has released a report showing that in 2024, 21% of 911-related ambulance runs were for falls. Falls with broken bones can lead to long-term disability or even death. There are educational programs available to help prevent falls,…
-
How healthy are peaches? Experts share all of the juicy details.
Beth Olson, Associate Professor in Nutritional Sciences, added to a recent article in the New York Times on How Healthy are Peaches? “Carotenoids, responsible for peaches’ orange tones, are powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants help reduce disease risk by binding to free radicals, molecules that can cause damage to our tissues and trigger inflammation.” https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/14/well/eat/peaches-health-benefits-recipes.html By Isobel Whitcomb…
-
Ultra-Processed Foods
By Beth Olson Anyone following news about health in the US has probably heard about “ultra-processed foods.” But what are they, how do they affect our health, and what should we do about them in our diet? The term ultra-processed foods (UPF) originated from a research group, who categorized foods into four categories. Unprocessed or…
-
Happy Valentine’s Day!
By: Katie Schroeder and Beth Olson Valentine’s Day is often thought to include heart shaped boxes of decadent chocolate and a bottle of wine with a nice meal. While these may traditionally be viewed as unhealthy and indulgent, is it possible they could have some health benefits? Well yes, it is! Dark chocolate and red…
-
Microbiome Part 2: Probiotics and Prebiotics
By: Katie Schroeder and Beth Olson After discussing the important role that the microbiome plays in the body and the difference between Prebiotics and Probiotics in Microbiome Part 1, it’s time to explore sources of these important nutrition components, including some trendy sources such as prebiotic sodas. Probiotics: Probiotics are live cultures of “good bacteria”…
-
Microbiome Part 1
By: Katie Schroeder and Beth Olson The word microbiome seems to be everywhere in the nutrition world these days. And though it may be a bit over-promoted and over-promised, the microbiome plays an important role in nutrition and health. So, what exactly is the microbiome? And how does it interact with nutrition? Over the next…
-
Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?
By: Katie Schroeder & Beth Olson Did you know that up to 70% of Americans might be missing out on a crucial vitamin that impacts everything from bone health to mood? Vitamin D is essential to health and well-being and is a common vitamin deficiency. The symptoms of deficiency can be subtle, and many people…