Using a Brix Refractometer
Gardening Newsletter
Vol. 10, Issue 9 - September 2015
I would first like to state that I really don’t have a complete grasp of what I’m about to tell
you. So … that should give you the utmost confidence in me and all that I have to say. I can,
however, tell you that I have enough of an understanding of it to tell you how great it is.
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Using a Brix Refractometer
Gardening Newsletter
Vol. 10, Issue 9 - September 2015
It’s a Brix refractometer. It’s a gadget.
And I like gadgets! You know how
some people don’t care about
gadgets and are perfectly happy to go
through life owning just a spoon and
a pair of shoes? That’s not me. I like
all things technical, gadget-y and new.
It’s not that I always have to have the
latest and greatest of everything, it’s
that I’m curious. I like to know how
things work and test new methods
and try new stuff. Plus, I like the latest
and greatest of everything, which
doesn’t explain why I’ve hung onto my
cat’s 14-year-old scratching post and
got rid of my Fred Flintstone television
in favor of a flat screen only last year.
If you shop at Whole Foods®, you
may have noticed that beside the
various fruits and vegetables, there is
a sign with that particular food’s Brix
level. What is a Brix level, you ask?
Well that’s where I get a bit muddle
headed. Most people say that the
Brix level is the amount of sugar in
something. But it’s more than that.
It’s also a measurement of a plant’s
mineral, oil and protein quality. For
the regular food consumer though, it’s
okay to think of the Brix measurement
at its most basic level: a measurement of the quality of a fruit or vegetable based on sugar
content.
When I discovered I could buy a Brix refractometer for fairly cheap, I had to have one so I
could test all of my vegetables. If you have good soil, the Brix level of your vegetables will be
higher. And the higher the Brix level, the more resistant the plants are to pests. Plants with a
Brix level of 12 or more found in their leaves are virtually insect-proof.
Sadly, I bought my refractometer at the beginning of my gardening season so I didn’t have
anything to test it on. But now everything is coming in fast and furious, and I’m running around
from one end of the garden to the other testing the Brix levels of everything. For no particular
reason. Just for fun, really. Because I know how to have fun.
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Using a Brix Refractometer
Gardening Newsletter
Vol. 10, Issue 9 - September 2015
To use the refractometer, all you
have to do is place a couple of drops
of the juice from the vegetable onto
the lens of the instrument. Close the
lid and hold the refractometer up to
the light, looking through the lens.
Inside you’ll see a line that marks the
Brix level of whatever you’re testing.
It’s a juice miracle, as far as I can tell.
When it comes to Brix levels, each
vegetable has its own range. A Brix
level of four for a tomato is poor, and
a level of 12 is excellent. Remember,
this is measuring not just the sugar,
but the nutritional value of the fruit. A
higher Brix level also usually equates
to a more complex taste.
Is this boring you? I hope this isn’t
boring you. I realize I may be one of
the few people to get so worked up
over a vegetable tester, but I really
do get worked up over it. Let me
tell you about my beet experiment.
That might liven things up. I mean,
who doesn’t find beets interesting?
They’re only the most interesting
vegetable known to humankind. (I
made that up in the hopes of keeping
your interest.)
At the beginning of the planting season, I, like many of you, looked up new varieties of plants
to grow. I decided I wanted to find the sweetest beet variety. You know – the one that tastes
the least like dirt. After some research, I homed in on the Kestrel beet and bought the seeds. I
planted it along with my tried-and-true varieties such as Bull’s Blood, Chioggia (Candy Stripe)
and Cylindra beets. All were grown in the same soil under the same conditions, so the only
thing that would make their Brix levels different would be the variety of beet.
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Using a Brix Refractometer
Gardening Newsletter
Vol. 10, Issue 9 - September 2015
Last month, I was able to pull a few beets and test them using my fancy Brix refractometer. I
decided to test the Chioggia beets and the Kestrels. Beets are expected to test somewhere
between six and 12 on the Brix scale. Six is a poor rating, eight is average, 10 is good and 12
is excellent. The Chioggia beet, which always tastes good to me, registered a Brix level of 10.
So that’s a good rating for the beet. The Kestrel registered a whopping 12 on the Brix scale,
which is the highest a beet can be expected to rate. It’s excellent.
I haven’t started testing my tomatoes yet and can’t even imagine the tither I’m going to be in
when I get to test my homegrown corn, but, suffice it to say, I love my new gadget. Even if I
don’t completely understand it. That’s okay. I don’t completely understand my cat either but I
love her too.
Text and photos by Karen Bertelsen
Karen Bertelsen is a Gemini Award nominated television host who has appeared on some
of Canada’s major networks including HGTV, W Network, Slice and MuchMoreMusic. Three
years ago she started the blog The Art of Doing Stuff (www.theartofdoingstuff.com) as a
creative outlet for her writing and endless home projects. The Art of Doing Stuff now receives
over half a million views per month and has been featured in Better Homes & Gardens, Style
at Home and Canadian Gardening magazines.
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