Most of us love eggs. Whether we scrambled them for breakfast, hard boil them for a healthy afternoon snack or use them in our baked goods, eggs are popular worldwide for good reason.
Eggs are a wonderful source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, but when you decide to crack one open to enjoy their many benefits, what do you do with your shells?
The benefits of egg shells are just as impressive as what was inside. Egg shells are comprised mostly of calcium carbonate, so just half of one medium shell can bring us enough calcium for the entire day! This is what we need to maintain healthy bones and teeth, especially as we age.
In addition to high levels of calcium, egg shells contain hyaluronic acid, which is great for maintaining healthy skin.
Now, I am not a medical professional, but I do love taking advantage of the natural benefits found in egg shells. I also add powdered egg shells to my dogs food, so they can benefit from them as well.
If you are interested in doing so, the process is quite simple. Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees.
If you are making scrambled eggs or using eggs for baking, simply set your shells aside after emptying them. If you do not have plans for your eggs, I like to hard boil them for future use in egg salad or to be added to lunches throughout the week.
To hard boil your eggs, place them in a large pot and add enough water to fully submerge them. Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. As soon as the water is boiling, turn off the heat, but leave the pot over that burner. Cover the pot and set a timer for 8-10 minutes (8 for a slightly soft center and 10 for a fully cooked center).
As soon as the timer goes off, gently drain the eggs and either run them under cold water or transfer them into an ice bath. This will stop the cooking process and help the shells to cool for easy shell removal.
Transfer the shells onto a baking sheet and place them on the center rack of an oven preheated to 400 degrees. Bake the eggs for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes in the hot oven, the eggs will be dry and brittle, which makes for easy powdering. Baking also helps to remove any bacteria from the membrane on the shells.
Transfer the shells into a food processor and blend until powdered.
Powdered eggs shells can be eaten by humans, dogs and other animals for their healthy benefits, but there are other uses for powdered egg shells as well.
- Grinding powdered egg shells with a bit of honey makes for a wonderful facial exfoliant.
- Powdered eggs shells are a popular plant fertilizer.
- When combined with baking soda and coconut oil, it makes a natural tooth whitening paste.
- Can be used to gently scrub stains from pots, pans and cutting boards.
Egg shells can be impressively beneficial to every day life, so the next time you crack open an egg, save those shells!
Powdered Egg Shells
Ingredients
- egg shells
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
- Place your reserved egg shells onto a baking sheet and place them onto the center rack of a preheated 400 degree oven
- Bake for 400 degrees
- Transfer the baked shells into a food processor and pulse until powdered
- Use as you wish
