Think Twice Before Throwing These Out!
Our frugal readers are going to love this information. I’m talking about eggshells. Next time you crack an egg or two, think twice before throwing these out. And here’s why (thanks to information from Linda Loosli of FOOD STORAGE MOMS):
YOU CAN EAT THEM! Besides providing more than enough calcium for the day, eggshells also improve bone density and also help to re-mineralize your teeth. It’s even speculated that they can be taken by people who often suffer from inflammation and joint pain. The best way to eat them is by crunching them up into a fine powder and adding this to smoothies, juices, soups, or stews (just be sure to wash them first).
THEY MAKE A GREAT FACEMASK! First, crush the shell into a fine powder. Next, whisk an egg white and add it to the powdered eggshell. Spread this mixture over your face. Rest for 15 minutes or so as it dries. When ready, wash it off with cool water and follow up with your favorite skin toner and moisturizer.
EGGSHELLS ARE AN EXCELLENT ADDITIVE TO HOMEMADE TOOTHPASTE! If you’re a homemade toothpaste fan, then seriously consider adding powdered eggshell to your mix. As mentioned above, they provide the necessary raw materials to re-mineralize teeth and they can rebuild bone. Their composition is 93% calcium composition plus 27 elements, including magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, potassium, iron and sulfur. (Heck of a deal, and for FREE no less!) If you’re interested, here’s a popular homemade toothpaste recipe that includes eggshells:
1/4 cup crunched egg shells
1 3 tablespoons Coconut Oil
1 tablespoon or less baking soda
1/2 - 1 teaspoon castile soap (optional, but it adds smoothness)
10 drops peppermint essential oil (fennel, clove, rosemary, oregano are other oils that promote healthy teeth)
Directions:
Add Recipe to Cook'n
EGGSHELLS WHITEN LAUNDRY! Tired of relying on toxic bleach for whiter laundry? Place crunched egg shells and a few lemon slices into an old sock; tie the sock end and toss in with your next load of whites. Who knew?
EGGSHELLS HELP WITH ACID REFLUX AND SKIN IRRITATIONS! Simply add crunched eggshells to some apple cider vinegar (the type that includes the mother). It can be taken orally, or applied directly to irritated skin, just strain out the shells when pouring.
EGGSHELLS BOOST THE HEALTH FACTOR OF BONE BROTH OR STOCK! By adding a tablespoon or two of powdered eggshell to your broth or stock pot you’ll be adding calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, fluoride, phosphorous, and selenium.
EGGSHELLS REMOVE BITTERNESS FROM COFFEE! Don’t throw out that disgustingly bitter pot of coffee that sat far too long on the burner. Instead, add some powdered eggshells. They’ll minimize acidity. One single ground eggshell is enough to handle 4 cups of bitter coffee.
EGGSHELLS CLEAN POTS AND PANS! Finely crunched eggshells happen to be a great, non-toxic abrasive that’s very efficient in scrubbing away the gunk left from cooking.
EGGSHELLS ARE SUPERIOR CHICKEN FEED BOOSTERS! You’ll increase the calcium content of their feed. Spread finely crushed shells on a baking sheet; bake at 275 degrees for about 10 minutes. Mix into the feed.
EGGSHELLS ALSO BENEFIT BIRDFEED! Your wild bird population will especially benefit from eggshells during the spring (when they’re laying eggs). Follow the steps mentioned above and then add it to their usual bird feed.
EGGSHELLS MAKE PERFECT SEEDLING CUPS! While it may be too late for this now, remember it for next season: Fill about half of each eggshell with seed starter, plant your seeds, then place them back in the original egg carton. As the plants become too large for the eggshell cup, just squeeze the cup to crack and crunch it, then plant the entire thing (seedling still in the crunched egg cup) into a larger pot and continue tending until time to transfer seedlings to the garden. The broken eggshell’s nutrients will provide kickstart to their growth and resilience.
EGGSHELLS IMPROVE SOIL! Work dried and finely crushed eggshells into your garden’s soil. They’ll help minimize soil acidity and add calcium carbonate.
EGGSHELLS NOURISH TOMATO PLANTS! Finely crushed eggshells placed beneath tomato plants provide an extra calcium boost. Calcium enhances pollen germination; regulates some enzyme systems; and influences the growth and health of cells and conductive tissues. It has a key specific influence on tomato fruit quality especially Blossom End Rot (BER). Other veggies that will benefit from access to eggshells are peppers, squash, broccoli, and cabbage.
EGGSHELLS DETER GARDEN PESTS! Simply break them into tiny pieces and scatter them all around your plants. This brilliant tactic will keep snails, slugs, and even deer from munching on what you’ve worked so hard to grow.
EGGSHELLS ARE MAGNIFICENT IN THE COMPOST PILE! You seasoned gardeners already know that for all the reasons mentioned above, crushed eggshells belong in your compost pile.
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YOU CAN EAT THEM! Besides providing more than enough calcium for the day, eggshells also improve bone density and also help to re-mineralize your teeth. It’s even speculated that they can be taken by people who often suffer from inflammation and joint pain. The best way to eat them is by crunching them up into a fine powder and adding this to smoothies, juices, soups, or stews (just be sure to wash them first).
THEY MAKE A GREAT FACEMASK! First, crush the shell into a fine powder. Next, whisk an egg white and add it to the powdered eggshell. Spread this mixture over your face. Rest for 15 minutes or so as it dries. When ready, wash it off with cool water and follow up with your favorite skin toner and moisturizer.
EGGSHELLS ARE AN EXCELLENT ADDITIVE TO HOMEMADE TOOTHPASTE! If you’re a homemade toothpaste fan, then seriously consider adding powdered eggshell to your mix. As mentioned above, they provide the necessary raw materials to re-mineralize teeth and they can rebuild bone. Their composition is 93% calcium composition plus 27 elements, including magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, potassium, iron and sulfur. (Heck of a deal, and for FREE no less!) If you’re interested, here’s a popular homemade toothpaste recipe that includes eggshells:
Eggshell Toothpaste
Ingredients:
1/4 cup crunched egg shells
1 3 tablespoons Coconut Oil
1 tablespoon or less baking soda
1/2 - 1 teaspoon castile soap (optional, but it adds smoothness)
10 drops peppermint essential oil (fennel, clove, rosemary, oregano are other oils that promote healthy teeth)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Give eggshells a quick rinse; bake for 15-20 minutes
3. Grind crunched shells until powdery fine (a coffee grinder works well)
4. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl, adding coconut oil until it is the consistency you prefer
5. Store in a small jar and use a small spoon to scoop it on your tooth brush.
NOTES: There are definite pros to this toothpaste. It’s inexpensive; provides additive- and sugar-free natural, healthy ingredients; it cleans well and fights sensitivity; it whitens without harsh chemicals; and it stores well. However, there are a few cons: Depending on temperature, the coconut oil solidifies (but a few stirs will soften it); it doesn’t foam; it isn’t sweet; it’s a little messier in the sink; tooth brushes get caked if not rinsed thoroughly; and of course, it doesn’t come in a handy tube.
2. Give eggshells a quick rinse; bake for 15-20 minutes
3. Grind crunched shells until powdery fine (a coffee grinder works well)
4. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl, adding coconut oil until it is the consistency you prefer
5. Store in a small jar and use a small spoon to scoop it on your tooth brush.
NOTES: There are definite pros to this toothpaste. It’s inexpensive; provides additive- and sugar-free natural, healthy ingredients; it cleans well and fights sensitivity; it whitens without harsh chemicals; and it stores well. However, there are a few cons: Depending on temperature, the coconut oil solidifies (but a few stirs will soften it); it doesn’t foam; it isn’t sweet; it’s a little messier in the sink; tooth brushes get caked if not rinsed thoroughly; and of course, it doesn’t come in a handy tube.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
EGGSHELLS WHITEN LAUNDRY! Tired of relying on toxic bleach for whiter laundry? Place crunched egg shells and a few lemon slices into an old sock; tie the sock end and toss in with your next load of whites. Who knew?
EGGSHELLS HELP WITH ACID REFLUX AND SKIN IRRITATIONS! Simply add crunched eggshells to some apple cider vinegar (the type that includes the mother). It can be taken orally, or applied directly to irritated skin, just strain out the shells when pouring.
EGGSHELLS BOOST THE HEALTH FACTOR OF BONE BROTH OR STOCK! By adding a tablespoon or two of powdered eggshell to your broth or stock pot you’ll be adding calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, fluoride, phosphorous, and selenium.
EGGSHELLS REMOVE BITTERNESS FROM COFFEE! Don’t throw out that disgustingly bitter pot of coffee that sat far too long on the burner. Instead, add some powdered eggshells. They’ll minimize acidity. One single ground eggshell is enough to handle 4 cups of bitter coffee.
EGGSHELLS CLEAN POTS AND PANS! Finely crunched eggshells happen to be a great, non-toxic abrasive that’s very efficient in scrubbing away the gunk left from cooking.
EGGSHELLS ARE SUPERIOR CHICKEN FEED BOOSTERS! You’ll increase the calcium content of their feed. Spread finely crushed shells on a baking sheet; bake at 275 degrees for about 10 minutes. Mix into the feed.
EGGSHELLS ALSO BENEFIT BIRDFEED! Your wild bird population will especially benefit from eggshells during the spring (when they’re laying eggs). Follow the steps mentioned above and then add it to their usual bird feed.
EGGSHELLS MAKE PERFECT SEEDLING CUPS! While it may be too late for this now, remember it for next season: Fill about half of each eggshell with seed starter, plant your seeds, then place them back in the original egg carton. As the plants become too large for the eggshell cup, just squeeze the cup to crack and crunch it, then plant the entire thing (seedling still in the crunched egg cup) into a larger pot and continue tending until time to transfer seedlings to the garden. The broken eggshell’s nutrients will provide kickstart to their growth and resilience.
EGGSHELLS IMPROVE SOIL! Work dried and finely crushed eggshells into your garden’s soil. They’ll help minimize soil acidity and add calcium carbonate.
EGGSHELLS NOURISH TOMATO PLANTS! Finely crushed eggshells placed beneath tomato plants provide an extra calcium boost. Calcium enhances pollen germination; regulates some enzyme systems; and influences the growth and health of cells and conductive tissues. It has a key specific influence on tomato fruit quality especially Blossom End Rot (BER). Other veggies that will benefit from access to eggshells are peppers, squash, broccoli, and cabbage.
EGGSHELLS DETER GARDEN PESTS! Simply break them into tiny pieces and scatter them all around your plants. This brilliant tactic will keep snails, slugs, and even deer from munching on what you’ve worked so hard to grow.
EGGSHELLS ARE MAGNIFICENT IN THE COMPOST PILE! You seasoned gardeners already know that for all the reasons mentioned above, crushed eggshells belong in your compost pile.
Sources:
- www.draxe.com
- www.littlehouseinthesuburbs.com
- www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com
- www.qcsuppy.com
- www.gardenbetty.com
- www.shared.com
Alice Osborne
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
