Re: refractormeter suggestions-one more ?

Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader, Mid Coast Maine

----------------------------

“The diet-heart idea (the idea that saturated fats and cholesterol cause

heart disease) is the greatest scientific deception of our times.” --

Mann, MD, former Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry at Vanderbilt

University, Tennessee; heart disease researcher.

The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics

----------------------------

>

February 20, 2004

> One more question - I just looked at them on ebay. Not bad

pricewise

> but I don't understand the % brix readings? Would i be looking for

> one that measure widely like 0-80%?

> Thanks again

> Lynn

First let me say that I've had my brix refractometer for several

weeks now and it's been a blast! I've brixed every fruit, veggie,

and diary product I regularly buy. I also bought some produce from

Wal-mart and the farmer's market to compare. I just can't stop

brixing. I've brixed my husband's beer and mead, and most grasses,

weeds, and shrubs growing in my yard. I've got tons of kombucha brix

values, although I have no clue what they mean. I'm even

experimenting with brixing the oil in our car to see when it needs

changed. The entertainment value of the brix meter has been well

worth the $40. Plus, I've got a huge spreadsheet full of brix

values.

Anyway, during my brixing adventures, the 0-32deg range was adequate

for 99.5% of what I was testing. Honey would require a much higher

max brix, but I found that I could dilute two different kinds of

honey with the same amount of distilled water, and although it wasn't

a true brix value, I could compare honey.

Happy brixing!

Betsy

February 20, 2004

>First let me say that I've had my brix refractometer for several

>weeks now and it's been a blast! I've brixed every fruit, veggie,

>and diary product I regularly buy. I also bought some produce from

>Wal-mart and the farmer's market to compare. I just can't stop

>brixing. I've brixed my husband's beer and mead, and most grasses,

>weeds, and shrubs growing in my yard. I've got tons of kombucha brix

>values, although I have no clue what they mean. I'm even

>experimenting with brixing the oil in our car to see when it needs

>changed. The entertainment value of the brix meter has been well

>worth the $40. Plus, I've got a huge spreadsheet full of brix

>values.

>

sounds like you're having a blast! LOL! are you submitting your findings to

the brix database at http://www.brixpage.com ? it would be great if all of

us getting refractometers entered some of our findings in their database, as

the database is a great tool for anyone to look up high brix foods in their

area. plus it helps us compare our own stuff to foods others have tested.

anyone here into urine therapy? would be interesting to test the brix of

one's urine...

Suze Fisher

Lapdog Design, Inc.

Web Design & Development

Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader, Mid Coast Maine

----------------------------

“The diet-heart idea (the idea that saturated fats and cholesterol cause

heart disease) is the greatest scientific deception of our times.” --

Mann, MD, former Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry at Vanderbilt

University, Tennessee; heart disease researcher.

The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics

----------------------------

>

February 20, 2004

> sounds like you're having a blast! LOL! are you submitting your

findings to

> the brix database at http://www.brixpage.com ?

I will later this summer. I wanted to get a couple of months of

brixing under my belt before I posted any numbers. The hardest part

is getting consistant samples.

> anyone here into urine therapy? would be interesting to test the

brix of

> one's urine...

I got a pretty wide range of numbers. I think readings may depend on

how much water is in the urine. Would you want low brix (all

nutrients being absorbed??) or high brix (body releasing lots of

toxins??) urine?

February 20, 2004

>

>> anyone here into urine therapy? would be interesting to test the

>brix of

>> one's urine...

>

>I got a pretty wide range of numbers. I think readings may depend on

>how much water is in the urine. Would you want low brix (all

>nutrients being absorbed??) or high brix (body releasing lots of

>toxins??) urine?

if you're doing urine therapy, you'd want high brix i'd imagine. if you're

NOT drinking your own urine, then i'd guess you'd want low brix.

Suze Fisher

Lapdog Design, Inc.

Web Design & Development

Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader, Mid Coast Maine

----------------------------

“The diet-heart idea (the idea that saturated fats and cholesterol cause

heart disease) is the greatest scientific deception of our times.” --

Mann, MD, former Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry at Vanderbilt

University, Tennessee; heart disease researcher.

The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics

----------------------------

February 20, 2004

--- One more quick try at making my point. BRIX is a measurement of

%sugar(not total solids), probably sucrose as someone earlier

mentioned. The refractometer used to measure total solids (specific

gravity) of urine is a different instrument(different model). And I

believe when %sucrose(BRIX)is measured you must have only sugar and

water present in the solution you're testing.................So much

for using " a little more " of whatever it was you mentioned a few

days ago. <grins> |Dennis

In , " Suze Fisher " <s.fisher22@v...>

wrote:

> >

> >> anyone here into urine therapy? would be interesting to test the

> >brix of

> >> one's urine...

> >

> >I got a pretty wide range of numbers. I think readings may depend

on

> >how much water is in the urine. Would you want low brix (all

> >nutrients being absorbed??) or high brix (body releasing lots of

> >toxins??) urine?

>

> if you're doing urine therapy, you'd want high brix i'd imagine. if

you're

> NOT drinking your own urine, then i'd guess you'd want low brix.

>

> Suze Fisher

> Lapdog Design, Inc.

> Web Design & Development

> Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader, Mid Coast Maine

>

> ----------------------------

> " The diet-heart idea (the idea that saturated fats and cholesterol

cause

> heart disease) is the greatest scientific deception of our times. " -

-

> Mann, MD, former Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry at

Vanderbilt

> University, Tennessee; heart disease researcher.

>

> The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics

> ----------------------------

February 20, 2004

>--- One more quick try at making my point. BRIX is a measurement of

>%sugar(not total solids), probably sucrose as someone earlier

>mentioned.

no it's not. please read http://www.brixpage.com

Suze Fisher

Lapdog Design, Inc.

Web Design & Development

Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader, Mid Coast Maine

----------------------------

“The diet-heart idea (the idea that saturated fats and cholesterol cause

heart disease) is the greatest scientific deception of our times.” --

Mann, MD, former Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry at Vanderbilt

University, Tennessee; heart disease researcher.

The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics

----------------------------

>

February 20, 2004

---Are you sure?I don't have time to look at it again now. Thanks

Dennis

In , " Suze Fisher " <s.fisher22@v...>

wrote:

> >--- One more quick try at making my point. BRIX is a measurement

of

> >%sugar(not total solids), probably sucrose as someone earlier

> >mentioned.

>

> no it's not. please read http://www.brixpage.com

>

> Suze Fisher

> Lapdog Design, Inc.

> Web Design & Development

> Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader, Mid Coast Maine

>

> ----------------------------

> " The diet-heart idea (the idea that saturated fats and cholesterol

cause

> heart disease) is the greatest scientific deception of our times. " -

-

> Mann, MD, former Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry at

Vanderbilt

> University, Tennessee; heart disease researcher.

>

> The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics

> ----------------------------

>

> >

February 20, 2004

---> I thought it measured sugars but high sugars readings often

correspond with high minerals which I guess would be total solids?

Lynn

> > >--- One more quick try at making my point. BRIX is a

measurement

> of

> > >%sugar(not total solids), probably sucrose as someone earlier

> > >mentioned.

February 20, 2004

---It would depend on the sample matrix. When sample is only sugar

and water BRIX is a measurement of % by weight sucrose. This is the

way I've used it previously except for this past summer when I

measured watermelon rind, watermelon heart and watermelon just inside

the rind. I also measured tomatoes, and plant leaf extractions. I

don't know what the units are. The refractometer I used the past

summer is not the one used in the food plant lab to measure % by wt.

sucrose. One idea is to follow operating manual. I got an e-mail into

BRIXMAN. Who is he/she? DR Dan Skow? Carey Reams? Dennis

In , " Lynn Razaitis " <lyn122@y...>

wrote:

> ---> I thought it measured sugars but high sugars readings often

> correspond with high minerals which I guess would be total solids?

> Lynn

>

> > > >--- One more quick try at making my point. BRIX is a

> measurement

> > of

> > > >%sugar(not total solids), probably sucrose as someone earlier

> > > >mentioned.

February 20, 2004

> > ---> I thought it measured sugars but high sugars readings often

> > correspond with high minerals which I guess would be total solids?

> > Lynn

> >

> > > > >--- One more quick try at making my point. BRIX is a

> > measurement

> > > of

> > > > >%sugar(not total solids), probably sucrose as someone earlier

> > > > >mentioned.

February 21, 2004

>

>---Are you sure?I don't have time to look at it again now. Thanks

>Dennis

>

ok, i'll repost an excerpt from the brix book that i posted a day or two

ago:

" BRIX is a measure of the percent solids (TSS) in a given weight of plant

juice---nothing more---and nothing less.

BRIX is often expressed another way: BRIX equals the percentage of sucrose.

However, if you study the contents of this book, you will soon enough

understand that the " sucrose " can vary widely. For, indeed, the BRIX is

actually a summation of the pounds of sucrose, fructose, vitamins, minerals,

amino acids, proteins, hormones, and other solids in one hundred pounds of

any particular plant juice.

BRIX varies directly with plant QUALITY. For instance, a poor, sour tasting

grape from worn out land can test 8 or less BRIX. On the other hand, a full

flavored, delicious grape, grown on rich, fertile soil can test 24 or better

BRIX.

I suggest that you remember that sugar is only one of the components of

brix. Also remember that many other substances can falsely indicate " brix "

readings (although those readings are valid in their own right). Try rubbing

alcohol, whiskey, vinegar, or wine. Interestingly, cooking oil, molasses,

syrup, and other thick liquids require a refractometer calibrated to read

30-90 brix. Honey is checked with a refractometer calibrated to measure the

water within it instead of the solids in the water. "

carey reams came up with the first brix index based on dr. northern's work

with soil fertility in which he focused on growing plants in mineral-rich

soils. in the " reams composite " chart, it not only lists the brix levels of

" poor " , " average " , " good " and " excellent " quality plants, but beyond

" excellent " there is a column for " disease free " which lists the brix levels

that confer " plant immunity from insect, bacterial, fungal, or viral

attack. " for most, the " disease free " brix reading seems to correspond with

the " excellent " brix reading, and in some cases may be even slightly lower.

Suze Fisher

Lapdog Design, Inc.

Web Design & Development

Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader, Mid Coast Maine

----------------------------

“The diet-heart idea (the idea that saturated fats and cholesterol cause

heart disease) is the greatest scientific deception of our times.” --

Mann, MD, former Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry at Vanderbilt

University, Tennessee; heart disease researcher.

The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics

----------------------------

>

February 21, 2004

I got an e-mail into

>BRIXMAN. Who is he/she? DR Dan Skow? Carey Reams?

rex harrill.

Suze Fisher

Lapdog Design, Inc.

Web Design & Development

Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader, Mid Coast Maine

----------------------------

“The diet-heart idea (the idea that saturated fats and cholesterol cause

heart disease) is the greatest scientific deception of our times.” --

Mann, MD, former Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry at Vanderbilt

University, Tennessee; heart disease researcher.

The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics

----------------------------

February 23, 2004

In a message dated 2/20/04 11:48:12 PM Eastern Standard Time,

dkemnitz2000@... writes:

> ---It would depend on the sample matrix. When sample is only sugar

> and water BRIX is a measurement of % by weight sucrose.

This seems sort of tautological. If the solution contains nothing but sugar,

of course the measurement only measures sugar.

Chris

February 23, 2004

---

Thanks. He hasn't replied yet? Dennis

In , " Suze Fisher " <s.fisher22@v...>

wrote:

> I got an e-mail into

> >BRIXMAN. Who is he/she? DR Dan Skow? Carey Reams?

>

> rex harrill.

>

> Suze Fisher

> Lapdog Design, Inc.

> Web Design & Development

> Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader, Mid Coast Maine

>

> ----------------------------

> " The diet-heart idea (the idea that saturated fats and cholesterol

cause

> heart disease) is the greatest scientific deception of our times. " -

-

> Mann, MD, former Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry at

Vanderbilt

> University, Tennessee; heart disease researcher.

>

> The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics

> ----------------------------

February 24, 2004

---Suze see message 43835. The message is cut out here in your

reply. Thanks again. Also some where I said the sample matrix

determines what the refractometer tests. When only sugar water is

tested, with the proper refractometer, the reading is BRIX (%sucrose

by weight). Rex is still silent.Dennis

In , " Suze Fisher " <s.fisher22@v...>

wrote:

> > In , " Suze Fisher "

<s.fisher22@v...>

> >wrote:

> >> I got an e-mail into

> >> >BRIXMAN. Who is he/she? DR Dan Skow? Carey Reams?

> >>

> >> rex harrill.

>

> i dunno - YOU were the one who said you had an email into him - i

was just

> responding to your question about brixman's identity.

>

> i did ask the brix talk list about refractometerst that you said

measure

> only sugar and rex (who also runs the brix page and brix database)

> responded:

>

> " ...I'm unaware of a refractometer that only measures sugar.

However,

> it is a nice thought. All brix refractometers measure total

dissolved

> solids, i.e., brix. "

>

> he added:

>

> " Please tell your farmer friend I would truly love to examine a

> refractometer that measures only sugar. It would indeed be a

prize. "

>

> maybe you should go to the brix talk list if you're interested and

want more

> detais about this. i think there are a lot of farmers and others in

the ag

> biz over there who have an immense amount of knowledge on soil

fertility and

> brix.

>

> Suze Fisher

> Lapdog Design, Inc.

> Web Design & Development

> Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader, Mid Coast Maine

>

> ----------------------------

> " The diet-heart idea (the idea that saturated fats and cholesterol

cause

> heart disease) is the greatest scientific deception of our times. " -

-

> Mann, MD, former Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry at

Vanderbilt

> University, Tennessee; heart disease researcher.

>

> The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics