Don't throw your eggshells out, experiment with how to use them around your home!
Ways to use eggshell calcium:
- Use it as an abrasive element to your natural cleaning products, by adding it to a soapy water solution.
- Add a small amount of powdered eggshell calcium to the coffee grinds in your coffee maker to counteract bitter-tasting coffee.
- Sprinkle around the base of plants to allow it to act as a slow release fertilizer, as the calcium and minerals can nourish your garden!
- Combine some finely powdered eggshell calcium with an egg white for a nourishing face mask.
Eggshell Calcium Recipe:
1) Save a few dozen used eggshells.
2) Cook them at 300 degrees for about 20-25 minutes to dry them out.
3) Let cool for 30-60 minutes.
4) Blend in a coffee grinder or high-speed blender (like a Vita-mix) until you get a very fine powdered consistency (very important!)
*Note: Do not take calcium supplements (eggshell or otherwise) without having a deficiency confirmed by your healthcare practitioner via blood testing or hair tissue analysis. Most get too much calcium, not too little, making calcium supplementation a dangerous game for your health!
References:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11281164
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15018022
Peat, Ray. Milk in context: allergies, ecology, and some myths. 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2013 from http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/milk.shtml
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JimLovasz
Great idea if you need to supplement calcium. I have read that the ideal calcium/magnesium ratio is 1 to 1 and that most people get sufficient in their diet, calcium, that is. Not being sure though, I am wondering if you know of any simple way I can determine if I am getting sufficient.
butternutrition
I think listening your your body is the best way to gauge-- are you craving calcium foods, or foods high in magnesium? In nutritional therapy we have a diagnostic test we can do for minerals, but it's not appropriate for everyone. Sometimes mineral deficiency can also be do to inadequate stomach acid- which will lessen the absorption of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. People under chronic stress also tend to waste more magnesium to help their body cope. So many angles to consider 🙂
JimLovasz
Thanks, I like the idea of "listening to your body." Makes sense to me and, yeah, I realize it is a very complex issue.
Deborah
Im wondering what the ratio of Calcium to Magnesium is in the average egg shell? Is there any Magnesium in it?
Urban Chicken
HERE'S a paper on the pros of eating them BUT THERE ARE The NEgatives TOO:
Poult Sci. 2000 Dec;79(12):1833-8.
Mineral, amino acid, and hormonal composition of chicken eggshell powder and the evaluation of its use in human nutrition.
Schaafsma A1, Pakan I, Hofstede GJ, Muskiet FA, Van Der Veer E, De Vries PJ.
Author information
Abstract
Chicken eggshell powder (ESP) might be an attractive source of Ca for human nutrition. To study its nutritional value, we analyzed minerals, amino acids, and hormones in commercially available Slovakian ESP. The mineral composition was compared with three Dutch ESP samples that differed in feed and housing, a Japanese ESP, refined CaCO3, and an oyster shell supplement. Chicken eggshell powder contains high levels of Ca (mean +/- SD/g EPS: 401+/-7.2 mg) and Sr (372+/-161 microg) when compared with recommended or estimated daily intakes for humans 51 to 70 yr of age. Levels of potentially toxic Pb, Al, Cd, and Hg were very low as were levels of V, B, Fe, Zn, P, Mg, N, F, Se, Cu, and Cr. Large differences in the levels of F, Se, Cu, Cr, and Sr in the Dutch and Slovakian ESP indicated a strong influence of feed and environment. The small protein fraction of ESP contains high levels of Gly and Arg. Furthermore, small amounts of transforming growth factor-beta1 (0.75 to 7.28 ng/g ESP), calcitonin (10 to 25 ng/g ESP), and progesterone (0.30 to 0.33 ng/g ESP) were detected. Estradiol-17beta and calcitriol were below the detection limit of the methods used. Compared with ESP, refined CaCO3 was found to contain increased levels of Cd, and the oyster shell supplement showed increased levels of Al and Cd. Therefore, ESP seems to have a beneficial composition with about 39% of elemental Ca, relevant amounts of Sr, and low levels of Al, Pb, Cd and Hg. It may be used as a Ca source in human nutrition.
PMID: 11194049 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
THE NEGATIVE:
J Toxicol Environ Health. 1994 Feb;41(2):207-20.
Heavy metals in avian eggshells: another excretion method.
Burger J1.
Author information
Abstract
Birds can rid their bodies of heavy metals through both excretion and deposition in feathers, and females can also eliminate heavy metals in the contents of their eggs. In this paper the levels of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury, selenium, manganese, chromium) in the contents and shells of eggs of roseate terns (Sterna dougallii) and herring gulls (Larus argentatus) nesting at Cedar Beach, Long Island, are reported. For both species, metal concentrations were significantly higher in the contents compared to the shells for lead, mercury, selenium, and chromium. For herring gulls, metal levels were higher in the shells for cadmium and manganese. Levels of cadmium, mercury, and selenium were significantly higher in roseate tern egg contents than for herring gulls. In eggshells, lead, cadmium, mercury, and selenium were significantly higher in roseate terns compared to herring gulls. For both species, eggshells account for about 7-8% of the egg by weight, but less than 1% of the egg burden for mercury, 1-5% for lead, selenium, and chromium, and 7-11% for manganese. For cadmium, shells account for only 5% of the egg burden for roseate terns, but 29% for herring gulls. These data suggest that, except for mercury, eggshells provide another method of excretion of metals in these two species of birds.
PMID: 8301699 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
One Source says Calc. To. MAg. ratio about 4 to 1 ........While the Calcium source is high in egg shells....the thought of eating something discarded out the back end as waste does have me worried about the accompanying toxins (Mercury,,,?) no thanks - (I will keep eating what's in the protective shell though) ....even though I know what our urban chicks eat - too many toxins are around us in "everything"!!! Think I'll pass on this one ...
elena
THANK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION. IM GOING TO START DOING THIS FOR MOM,MYSELF AND MY KID. I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR TIME AND SHARING THIS WITH US ALL. I DONT GET CALCIUM,EVER SINCE I BECAME LACTOSE INTOLERANT AFTER GIVING BIRTH TO MY SON
Sarah
This company offers hair analysis at a very reasonable price. The results are extremely thorough and will tell you your calcium/magnesium ratio and LOTS of other information! http://www.forperfectbalance.com
Buttoni
OMG, I have always mixed eggshell powder in my dog's raw meat diet. But I never once thought it would be OK for humans to get their calcium this way. Interesting!
Tara
Do you wash the shells before baking? How do you store the powdered eggshells?
Catherine Crow
Hi Tara,
No, I do not wash them. Just collect them in the fridge, and when ready heat them. The oven will cook the membrane and remaining matter on the eggs.
Tara
Thanks, Catherine. Do you store the baked, powdered shells at room temp or in the fridge?
Catherine Crow
I store the powder at room temp on my counter and never had any problems.
Stephanie
I've started storing my shells in the fridge. Thanks for the tip! I've been washing them and putting them into the water kefir because the microbes need the minerals too.
Catherine
@Stephanie, Smarty pants! Love that!!
Jill
Stephanie, How much do you wash the eggshells for the kefir? And do you crush them or use pieces? Thanks!
Stephanie
I just rinsed them after I cracked them, put them in the fridge and added a few halves to the kefir jar as whole pieces. They will float and start to get soft during the kefir brew.
Jill
Thanks so much!
Fayette
I use them in my water kefir also! It dissolves completely after several batches and I never have to blend them.. The grains get the minerals and I get the minerals with all the other good stuff they make.
Ashley
Would this be any more difficult to digest than the calcium supplements we are already taking? I know we have digestive issues, but I'd love to swap my calcium supplements for egg shells.
Catherine
Can't really say for sure, since everyone responds differently. I will say that if you have digestive issues, make sure you ground it to a very fine powder, and start with a very small dose to check for tolerance, perhaps 1/16 or 1/8 tsp.
Melody
Hi - I'm new at supplementing, but wondered about what I can do to help my husband, who has a very physically intense job. He works out in the summer heat all day - what should he take to supplement to keep up his health and endurance? Would magnesium help? Topical oil or orally? Should I make some kind of sports drink? I know gatorade is full of bad stuff, but not sure what would be better. He does have digestive issues sometimes. Thanks!
Catherine
Thanks Melody. Legally I can't give out specific advice to non-clients, but if you would like to set up a free consult, please let me know! Thanks for reading!
Sharon B.
Melody, try coconut water! I use the canned stuff, though. Make sure it's cold (or so I've been warned). You can Google "coconut water electrolytes" for more info.
If hubby doesn't like plain coconut water, I'm sure it could be flavored or used as the water portion in smoothies.
Bibble
I apologize but that is idiotic. Gatorade full of bad stuff? It was originally diluted lemonade. Give that to him if you feel safer. Not that you'd be any help to a decent blue collar worker anyways, especially after these dubius accusations. If you think it's full of "bad stuff", then figure out wtf that stuff is and avoid it. You're welcome. #red40
Antonio
Sugar. Multiple kinds. They come right after water. No need to read further.
And no, the original wasn't diluted lemonade. The first flavoures sold were lemon-lime and orange, although maybe the test version was just lemon flavour it has always contained electrolytes. That's the whole point after all! And originally Gatorade was NOT the sickly sweet soft drink it is today. So not sweet that most people who weren'hot sweaty athletes could stand the taste. I was very angry when they abandoned us to pander to the taste buds of the larger non ex resizing market. Though apparently there are athletes willing to consume that liquid candy.
Melody: ElectroMIX (spelling?) by Alacer (the people who make Emergen–C) is a good option. Mildly sweetened with stevia it has zero grams of sugar. Natural flavour. No colour. Because it comes in powder it is very economical, even if you have to buy on line, and easy to take enough packets in your pocket, lunch box, or glove compartment for a long day or even a trips worth. Just keep adding them to your water bottle before you refill it and it will mostly mix itself.
I have no affiliation with Alacer. I'm sure there must be other similar brands out there. But this is the one I can tell you I have used for years while working hard, playing hard, to rehydrate when ill, or just to cope with summer heat.
Antonio
Correction: "So not sweet that most people who weren’t hot sweaty athletes couldn't stand the taste." Probably other typos. Sorry. My thumbs are too big today.
Lori
Hi
I've been collecting eggshells in paper bags on the counter (after washing) and then pulverizing them for the garden. Never thought of using as calcium supplement for me.
Do you think the ones I have on the counter are safe to use?
Thanks
**asking your personal - as a random person I met on line - opinion; not a professional or legal one. So.. to re-phrase, would you eat them?
Catherine
I'm not really sure, it probably depends on how much moisture was left on the shells. I would probably just start over (it only takes about a dozen eggs).Definitely heat them first in the oven to dry them out and kill any bacteria on them first. Thanks for reading!
Catherine
anna
Hi,
Should the eggs be organic and free range?
Thank you.
Catherine
Hi Anna,
Yes-- the eggs should be organic and free range. I prefer to use pastured eggs for this recipe. The healthier the chickens the more minerals will be found in the eggshells.
Catherine
MP
What a great suggestion for a calcium supplement. Remember to always check with your pharmacist before starting new supplements if you take any medications. Calcium can interact with many medications.
Andrea Fabry
This is great! Thank you for sharing.
Devorah
Catherine,
For someone who has tested IgG allergic to chicken egg whites and yolk, would the shell still be the preferred choice for a calcium supplement. I can imagine buying the eggs, cracking them into the garbage disposal then saving the shells. Thank you for your opinion.
Erika
Hi, there! What about eggshell water? Would that have the same effect?
Marie
Hi! I'm wondering how long you collect the egg shells in the fridge? What I a safe time frame?
Peter
Kale and broccoli also contain a lot of calcium and vitamin K. Organic, pastured eggs are expensive. It's actually cheaper to take a calcium citrate supplement. Be careful not to take too much calcium (food or supplement). It can cause kidney problems.
Athena
Also, eggshells are amazing for dental health! I have compromised teeth from years of antibiotics and I've noticed a 110% improvement in my teeth since I've been doing a tsp of eggshells and fermented cod liver oil/butter oil every day.
Alyce Aber
I do this regularly and I sprinkle it on my food. If I had to take it with water, I wouldn't, lol. It has no taste and I believe taking any supplement WITH food is a better choice always.
Bee
Is it 300 degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit ?
Catherine
300 degrees Fahrenheit
abhijith
Simply eat a chalk per day... :p
Purpose served..
Lorena Wood
And if you don't want to eat the shells yourself, save them for your chickens or give them to neighbors who have them. The chickens love them broken up and it helps in their future egg laying endeavors!
blahblahblacksheep
Folks used to simmer animal bones / carcasses after eating the meat from them. This would make a bone broth that was fortified with calcium. Dairy products showed up, and folks felt they could use those as calcium instead. However, only a few cultures evolve to tolerate dairy. (A blood type dietician, Dr. D'Adamo, states only type B and AB blood types tolerate dairy products. Other sources suggest 75% of the world is lactose intolerant). Likewise, while dairy products used to be an inexpensive form of calcium (you don't have to slaughter the animal to get it), it has become a rather expensive form these days with rising dairy prices. It's cheaper to just buy a whole, cooked chicken from Wal-mart, eat the flesh, then simmer the bones down to broth over 2 days then it is to buy cheese.
Jennifer
One half tsp egg shell-
Minerals
Amounts Per Selected Serving %DV
Calcium 900mg 90%
Iron~ ~
Magnesium 24.0mg 6%
Phosphorus 8.4mg 1%
Potassium 8.0mg 0%
Sodium 90mg 0%
Zinc~ ~
Copper~ ~
Manganese~ ~
Selenium~ ~
Fluoride~
Read More http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/custom/1145333/2#ixzz3SUIXg2Qw
Deb
Thank you, that's what I was looking for
Ely
Calcium in the form of calcium carbonate? No thanks.
Joy
I was wondering what the shelf life is of ground eggshells? I made some a while ago and used to take it but got out of the habit. After reading this article it reminded me to start doing that again but I'm wondering if my ground eggshells are still good or if I need to make a new batch? Thanks!
Christine
I was looking around a few different sites to compare techniques and they vary.
Yours says to bake at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes,
another site says to bake at 300 degrees for no more than 5-7 minutes,
another site says to boil them for 5 minutes,
another site says to boil for 10 minutes then let dry then the next day bake at 200 for 10 minutes...
and finally, another site says to do nothing - just crack open the egg like normal, let it completely dry out for a couple days, then grind it up.
What is your take on all of this? Do you feel its absolutely necessary to bake or boil the eggshells first? Is 20 minutes okay or is 5-7 minutes much better?
Catherine
Hi Christine,
I think there are many different ways to dry out the eggshells, so ultimately it depends on your personal preferences regarding food safety.
However you do it, the key here is to heat them enough to kill bacteria on the shell, and then let them dry to avoid any moisturize on the shells when you go to grind them. That way your eggshell calcium will keep better.
Abundantly,
Catherine
Christine
Okay, thank you 🙂
Carmen
Sily question- What about the lining/membrane
in the shell? Do I peel that out?
Yori
No - keep the membrane - that's the best part actually. Good for regenerating your joints and skin (collagen).
Donna
I hard boiled eggs alot, can I use the eggshells from this type of cooking to pulverize or do I still need to bake or boil the shells first.
Amy Pour
Think about making capsules. Convenient if your are traveling.
Ely
Maybe you have heard about various types of calcium supplements. There are carbonate, citrate, malate, lactate.
The weakest form of them all is calcium carbonate - and that't the type you get from eggshells. So what's the use anyway?
Molugu VS
Is there any expiry date for home made calcium powder CHEERS
Partiflor
I wouldn't think so - as long as it is kept dry, and perhaps refrigerated or frozen so as to avoid temperature swings and bacteria growth. It could be baked to kill any bacteria, etc. growth, but of course, when in doubt, toss it out! There's no good sense in getting sick for the price of a few cents.
Partiflor
Just adding my $0.025 here - I regularly save eggshells after cooking with them or adding a raw egg to a morning milkshake. I place them in a small container or on a plate until they dry out (several days or when I make more shell powder).
I then crush them gently by hand so I can fit them into a small food chopper, then I blend them until they're as fine as they will get.
I then pour the tiny fragments into an old vitamin bottle with a screw-on lid, and the next time I use some, I will use my small mortar & pestle to grind them into powder.
I am searching for an easier way, however. Powdering eggshells in a mortar & pestle takes several minutes, but I would rather not swallow sharp little chunks of eggshell!
Puneet
Give it to your dog! He will have stronger bones and teeth!!
Clauda K
Do you know if you can use egg shells peeled from a hard boiled egg and not just "raw" shells? I ask because I mix hard boiled eggs into my dogs' homemade food. I supplement their food with store-bought calcium but it would be good to use these egg shells (dried and ground of course) instead. I can't think of a reason not, but wondering if this is ok.
Pauline
I included egg shells into my diet when I chipped a tooth. I didn't want to get it filled at the Dentist. So I added an egg shell each day to a banana smoothie. And also drank a cup of bone broth daily and after a few weeks, my tooth repaired itself. Of course, I only used Organic eggs and simmered them in water before grinding and ingesting.
Sue
I am putting eggshells in capsules. I had boiled them and then dried them in the oven. Does anyone think if I dried them in the sun they would absorb vitamin d?
Sue
Does anyone think if I boiled eggshells to sterilize,. That if I dried them in the sun they would absorb vitamin d?