Brix meter and sap test kit

True nutrient measurements

If you have ever wondered about the real nutritional value of the apple you are eating or the lettuce and tomato salad the family will have tonight, wonder no more. The hand-held Brix meter was originally designed for farmers to know nutrient levels of their produce and when to harvest crops. This precision instrument (refractometer) has a drop or two of the sap (juice) of the produce placed on the glass and held up to the light to read the Brix scale of zero to 32. The higher the Brix reading, the higher the nutrient levels.

Total dissolved solids (or Brix) are measured with the Brix meter. The number on its scale indicates the level of balance of nutrient uptake and complexing of sugars or proteins in the photosynthesis factory – the leaf. If Brix is low, even after several hours of sunshine, some element(s) are missing in the photosynthesis factory. Ions, if present, have not been “complexed” into sugars or proteins.

The Brix meter comes complete with the sap extractor, a calibration kit and reference chart to know what is a good Brix reading compared to a poor Brix reading, in four increments. For example, raspberries reading 6 Brix means poor nutrition. Raspberries measuring 14 Brix means excellent nutrition.

The Brix meter does not require batteries for a reading, just light. The Brix meter can measure a wide range of fruits, vegetables, grasses, grains, legumes, even roses, anything that juice can be squeezed from. Brix readings differ from one species to another. Freshness since picked also affects nutrient levels. You become the expert at true nutrient content and can compare supermarket food to non-supermarket food, such as home grown fruits and vegetables, or growing in mineral-rich or mineral-deficient soils.

Out of curiosity, we also measured municipal tap water (zero Brix) to Himalayan Crystal Salt brine, which shot off the top end of the scale. A brand name fizzy drink gave a zero Brix reading. We have even heard some people measure their own urine on the Brix meter but have no reference chart for this. False readings can be obtained, for example, with shop-bought orange juice. This can be made from concentrates in various dilutions that do not provide the full nutrient picture of real orange juice.

The Brix meter comes with a reference chart for measuring nutritions in a wide range of fruits, vegeatbles, grains, legumes and even roses.