Most of us were brought up to eat eggs fairly carefully, make sure we didn’t eat a piece of shell by mistake. In fact, as long as it’s small enough to safely descend, it would probably do more good than harm!
The Chicken and the Egg
Eggshells form a brilliant calcium source. Consists of 95% calcium carbonate, the composition of important minerals will support our bones and teeth tremendously.
Many owners of chicken grind up the shells and feed them back into their chooks. If you do that, then hold back a few to complement your own diet! If you buy your eggs, then for the purpose of making these supplements, search out organic, free-range eggs if possible.
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How to Take It, How to Make It
Couldn’t make the supplement any easier. Basically, you’re aiming to ground the clean eggshells into a very fine powder, then it can be easily taken.
Each day, we usually need about 1000 – 1500 mg of calcium (1 tsp of eggshell powder equals around 1000 mg). Although some of this can be derived from a balanced diet, it may be appropriate to take a supplement if necessary.
If administered in doses of no more than 500 mg at one time, calcium carbonate is more bioavailable and you should strive for two or three doses during the day, unless you’ve been directed by a medical professional to do something more or less than a regular dose.
Another way to store eggshell powder is to produce your own batch of supplements by filling empty capsules (the forms of gelatin and vegetable cellulose are commonly available online) with a paper funnel and placing them in a clean, dry jar;
You’ll need:
- Eggshells – as many as you can use/have
- An electric or manual coffee/spice grinder or pestle and mortar
- Clean; dry jar with lid
- Empty supplement capsules (optional)
Method:
1. Use your eggs as usual, but retain the shells. Wash them in hot water, removing any dirt. Don’t take out the membrane inside – it’s rich in minerals.
2. Boil the shells for five minutes and leave to dry. You can place them in an oven set to a low heat for 15 minutes if you want to speed things up.
3. Once completely dry, place in your pestle and mortar or grinder and grind/pound to a very fine powder.
4. Sieve to remove any remaining large particles and place into a clean, dry jar with a lid.
5. If you want to fill empty capsules, then secure one half of each of the capsules using non-toxic putty or dough as a base.
6. Now make a paper cornet and fill the capsules, then store them in a clean, dry jar.
Uses and Calcium Supplement Shelf Life
It is assumed that when applied to many other foods and liquids, the calcium carbonate in the eggshell powder is more bioavailable. Vinegar, lemon juice, and live yogurt are all fine for that. Many people sprinkle the powder on cereal – particularly granola or muesli – or mix it in a smoothie-type fruit drink.
In fact, the latter is an excellent choice. If you add a banana to a homemade smoothie, the magnesium it contains can help with bioavailability and absorption of calcium. Eggshell powder also has other uses – some add it to toothpaste or blend it for a natural exfoliator with a little coconut oil.
If calcium powder is kept dry and out of direct sunlight, it will last 2 months, probably more. When you unscrew the container and it smells bad, then start again – there might be some moisture that got in.
