Confirmation bias or actually better

[TankTop5]

I was just vacationing in a part of Colorado that has a very large Amish community. Figured I’d pick up a few things on my way out of town and grabbed a huge roll of Amish butter. This stuff is like crack, way creamier and more flavorful than even Kerrygold. I may have to drive 3 1/2 hours just to buy more.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Well, hard to say as you have tasted it and mentally compared to what your memory is of others you used.
And, even then, it is a matter of likes, isn't it. Seems it is different from others you tried in the past. But since it is different will it be still taste better to you over time?
Will it be worth driving 3 1/2 hours, one-way or total is a personal decision. Easy for me without a taste test even, no thanks.

 

[highfigh]

Well, hard to say as you have tasted it and mentally compared to what your memory is of others you used.
And, even then, it is a matter of likes, isn't it. Seems it is different from others you tried in the past. But since it is different will it be still taste better to you over time?
Will it be worth driving 3 1/2 hours, one-way or total is a personal decision. Easy for me without a taste test even, no thanks.

What do you use instead of butter, various oils?

 

[TankTop5]

Well, hard to say as you have tasted it and mentally compared to what your memory is of others you used.
And, even then, it is a matter of likes, isn't it. Seems it is different from others you tried in the past. But since it is different will it be still taste better to you over time?
Will it be worth driving 3 1/2 hours, one-way or total is a personal decision. Easy for me without a taste test even, no thanks.

Definitely not driving 3 1/2 hours one way for more, but it is significantly better than any other butter I’ve ever had. Hard to explain but the texture is different and much creamier with a little flavor I can’t identify. AI said they use grass fed cows with higher fat content milk and still hand churn the butter. If you ever pass by an Amish community, I highly suggest you find one of their stores and stock up, worth a detour if you’re relatively nearby.

 

[m. zillch]

Run a double blind taste test to answer the thread's stated question. Have someday else prepare small test samples to compare on a plate and then leave the room before you, the taster, enter it.

P.S. I'd think it would be trivially easy for a manufacturer to manipulate the taste/texture of two butters which actually are the same by varying their salt content or whipping one (partly) yet not labeling it as whipped.

I use margarine largely because the immediate softness straight out of the frig is more important to me than differences in taste.

 

[mtrycrafts]

What do you use instead of butter, various oils?

The cheap stuff. Actually I have a large 45 oz. Blue Bonnet in the fridge that last a long time, for corn on the cob, not on toast, just jam. Some bread or roll. Wife uses her butter, but has to be outside so it can be spread. More stuff on the counter.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Run a double blind taste test to answer the thread's stated question. Have someday else prepare small test samples to compare on a plate and then leave the room before you, the taster, enter it.

P.S. I'd think it would be trivially easy for a manufacturer to manipulate the taste/texture of two butters which actually are the same by varying their salt content or whipping one (partly) yet not labeling it as whipped.

I use margarine mostly because the immediate softness straight out of the frig is more important to me than differences in taste.

If it has that much fat what you seem to indicate by description, I'd rather not. I need to stay away from fat as much as possible.
I can enjoy the ones with less as I am not that picky at all. But, interesting to know

By the way, even if you pick that butter in a DBT, it is different enough by description, then it is a matter of likes. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[mtrycrafts]

...

I use margarine largely because the immediate softness straight out of the frig is more important to me than differences in taste.

One of my reasons.

 

[Verdinut]

The cheap stuff. Actually I have a large 45 oz. Blue Bonnet in the fridge that last a long time, for corn on the cob, not on toast, just jam. Some bread or roll. Wife uses her butter, but has to be outside so it can be spread. More stuff on the counter.

You don't necessarily have to keep butter outside. You could use a French butter crock (See the Amazon link below), but I just put the desired quantity of butter in the microwave oven at its lowest heat setting for 35-40 seconds. The timing can be adjusted for the quantity warmed up. Just try that and you might not return to margarine.

I don't use margarine because it's not a natural product, and not recommended by honest physicians or nutritionists. Some even contain nickel. Moreover, the partial hydrogenation process traditionally used to make margarine solid is historically one of the most damaging processes to cardiovascular health.

Amazon.com

 

[m. zillch]

Like in audio, my preliminary proposed butter/margarine A/B test would be a first step to establish if a difference can be discerned (and not just my imagination) before later potentially moving on to preference tests.

A test administrator opens and toasts a plain English muffin. They cut the halves into a grand total of 8 equal sections and they are randomized (or else the taster could potentially 'jig saw puzzle together" the edges to reconstruct which four came from the same half). Brand A margarine/butter (an exact measured amount) goes on 4 quadrants and Brand B on the other 4 quadrants and placed on a big plate/tray in an order that is only known to them but was also randomly ordered by coin toss, and labelled "Mystery margarine X samples, trials 1 through 8". They leave the room and then I enter. [By never being in the room at the same time, so I can't potentially be influenced by their inadvertent body language and facial expressions, this escalates the test from being just single blind to double blind.]

My task is to identify, by taste alone, which are actually A and which are B. A palate cleanser is allowed, say a glass of water. I write my answers on a score sheet.
If it turns out at the end I get 4 right and 4 wrong (so no better than random guessing) it suggests I can't truly taste a difference. Whereas if I get all 8 correct it suggests with a p-value of 0.0039 (0.39%) certainty—I just looked it up—I was either incredibly lucky that day or more likely a 99.61% certainty I can indeed discern a difference between the taste of A and B under these conditions.

If openly labelled samples of both A and B are additionally provided to me on a different plate simultaneously, at my disposal to optionally taste at my discretion to get a "frame of reference for the two target tastes" during my test, this improves the test because it makes it more like an ABX test.

Ever take an ABX test, my friends? You are about to, albeit a very short single question ABX test instead of a more meaningful 8 or more, by picking either A or B to answer the following question:

Psst: The correct answer to this single trial test is:

Spoiler

A

 

[mtrycrafts]

Like in audio, my preliminary proposed butter/margarine A/B test would be a first step to establish if a difference can be discerned (and not just my imagination) before later potentially moving on to preference tests.

A test administrator opens and toasts a plain English muffin. They cut the halves into a grand total of 8 equal sections and they are randomized (or else the taster could potentially 'jig saw puzzle together" the edges to reconstruct which four came from the same half). Brand A margarine/butter (an exact measured amount) goes on 4 quadrants and Brand B on the other 4 quadrants and placed on a big plate/tray in an order that is only known to them but was also randomly ordered by coin toss, and labelled "Mystery margarine X samples, trials 1 through 8". They leave the room and then I enter. [By never being in the room at the same time, so I can't potentially be influenced by their inadvertent body language and facial expressions, this escalates the test from being just single blind to double blind.]

My task is to identify, by taste alone, which are actually A and which are B. A palate cleanser is allowed, say a glass of water. I write my answers on a score sheet.
If it turns out at the end I get 4 right and 4 wrong (so no better than random guessing) it suggests I can't truly taste a difference. Whereas if I get all 8 correct it suggests with a p-value of 0.0039 (0.39%) certainty—I just looked it up—I was either incredibly lucky that day or more likely a 99.61% certainty I can indeed discern a difference between the taste of A and B under these conditions.

If openly labelled samples of both A and B are additionally provided to me on a different plate simultaneously, at my disposal to optionally taste at my discretion to get a "frame of reference for the two target tastes" during my test, this improves the test because it makes it more like an ABX test.

Ever take an ABX test, my friends? You are about to, albeit a very short single question ABX test instead of a more meaningful 8 or more, by picking either A or B to answer the following question:


View attachment 79865
Psst: The correct answer to this single trial test is:

Spoiler

A

It's somewhat obvious to me.

 

[mtrycrafts]

You don't necessarily have to keep butter outside. You could use a French butter crock (See the Amazon link below), but I just put the desired quantity of butter in the microwave oven at its lowest heat setting for 35-40 seconds. The timing can be adjusted for the quantity warmed up. Just try that and you might not return to margarine.

I don't use margarine because it's not a natural product, and not recommended by honest physicians or nutritionists. Some even contain nickel. Moreover, the partial hydrogenation process traditionally used to make margarine solid is historically one of the most damaging processes to cardiovascular health.

Amazon.com

I guess AI is wrong:

"Butter is an animal product churned from milk or cream, prized for its rich, natural flavor. Margarine is a processed, plant-based substitute made from vegetable oils. While butter is higher in saturated fat, margarine is typically lower in calories and higher in heart-healthy unsaturated fats. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] "from Mayo clinic.

 

[Verdinut]

I guess AI is wrong:

"Butter is an animal product churned from milk or cream, prized for its rich, natural flavor. Margarine is a processed, plant-based substitute made from vegetable oils. While butter is higher in saturated fat, margarine is typically lower in calories and higher in heart-healthy unsaturated fats. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] "from Mayo clinic.

Yes, AI is all wrong as well as dishonest cardiologists from Mayo Clinic who promote consumption of margarine. All polyunsaturated vegetable oils which are contained in margarine, are of the Omega 6 fatty acids category. These are unstable, easily turn rancid and when heated and/or oxidized, cause free radicals which are responsible for cancers and atherosclerosis. Butter is butter and all natural. It contains cholesterol, but all our organs including our brains need cholesterol to properly function. Cholesterol in itself is not to blame for atherosclerosis. It's oxidized bad LDL with the accumulation of calcium in arteries that cause their blockage. Use of antioxidants is a must to protect ourselves from oxidative stress, heart disease, some cancers and premature aging.

You wish to know more about the real facts on food? I strongly recommend reading the book "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes, a correspondent for Science Magazine. He reports on fats, carbs, and the controversial science of diet and health. In that book, you will learn the real facts and all fallacies with misinformation on food.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Yes, AI is all wrong as well as dishonest cardiologists from Mayo Clinic who promote consumption of margarine. All polyunsaturated vegetable oils which are contained in margarine, are of the Omega 6 fatty acids category. These are unstable, easily turn rancid and when heated and/or oxidized, cause free radicals which are responsible for cancers and atherosclerosis. Butter is butter and all natural. It contains cholesterol, but all our organs including our brains need cholesterol to properly function. Cholesterol in itself is not to blame for atherosclerosis. It's oxidized bad LDL with the accumulation of calcium in arteries that cause their blockage. Use of antioxidants is a must to protect ourselves from oxidative stress, heart disease, some cancers and premature aging.

You wish to know more about the real facts on food? I strongly recommend reading the book "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes, a correspondent for Science Magazine. He reports on fats, carbs, and the controversial science of diet and health. In that book, you will learn the real facts and all fallacies with misinformation on food.

Which researcher and journal is honest then.
Hard to know what is what who is credible:

"The credibility of Gary Taubes' Good Calories, Bad Calories is highly debated. While it successfully challenged mainstream nutritional dogma and popularized the carbohydrate-insulin hypothesis, the mainstream scientific and medical communities criticize the book for highly selective evidence, methodological weaknesses, and overstated claims. [1, 2, 3] " New York times

 

[Verdinut]

Which researcher and journal is honest then.

I have no hesitation in suggesting that you get the acclaimed book mentioned above. This book is very well documented with the sources of information.Taubes tackles the subject with the seriousness and scientific insight it deserves, building s devastating case against the low-fat, high-carb way of life endorsed by so many nutrition experts.

Amazon.com: Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health (Audible Audio Edition): Gary Taubes, Mike Chamberlain, Random House Audio: Books

Amazon.com: Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health (Audible Audio Edition): Gary Taubes, Mike Chamberlain, Random House Audio: Books

www.amazon.com

 

[m. zillch]

"Biography

Born in Rochester, New York, Taubes studied physics at Harvard University (BS, 1977)[4] and aerospace engineering at Stanford University (MS, 1978). After receiving a master's degree in journalism at Columbia University in 1981, Taubes joined Discover magazine as a staff reporter in 1982.[5] Since then he has written numerous articles for Discover, Science and other magazines. Originally focusing on physics issues, his interests have more recently turned to medicine and nutrition. His brother, Clifford Henry Taubes, is the William Petschek Professor of Mathematics at Harvard University.[6]"

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Taubes

According to this, by my read his expertise in medicine and nutrition is based on the fact that he's interested in it. At least recently.

 

[Verdinut]

Which researcher and journal is honest then.
Hard to know what is what who is credible:

"The credibility of Gary Taubes' Good Calories, Bad Calories is highly debated. While it successfully challenged mainstream nutritional dogma and popularized the carbohydrate-insulin hypothesis, the mainstream scientific and medical communities criticize the book for highly selective evidence, methodological weaknesses, and overstated claims. [1, 2, 3] " New York times

Low fat diets, white sugar and white rice did did not exist with our ancestors. Heart disease and diabetes were rare before the beginning of the 20th century. Obesity is caused by excess carbohydrates, not by fat consumption. Fat does not cause obesity. Medical communities are dishonest by promoting bad eating habits based on some wrong premises. Someone wants to lose fat, then he should eat good fats and consume less carbohydrates. For example, there's no obesity with people eating a Keto or Mediterranean diet.

Personally, I don't believe what most medical communities say. Money rules first with them and people come in second place. Treating obese and diabetic patients brings a lot of income!