We throw away eggshells a lot without thinking about them. The shell of an egg looks like trash once we’ve broken it open and used the interior. It’s dry, brittle, and ready to be thrown away. But a lot of people don’t know that this “garbage” is actually very valuable. There are minerals in eggshells that are good for people, gardens, and living in a way that doesn’t affect the environment. With a little bit of work, you can make them into a natural, helpful, and completely free resource.
You might be surprised to discover that eggshells are made up of about 90–95% calcium carbonate, which is the same stuff that is in many calcium supplements that you can buy without a prescription. Calcium is important for keeping bones strong, teeth healthy, and muscles and nerves working well. As we become older, we are more likely to not obtain enough calcium, which can lead to problems like brittle bones or osteoporosis.
Eggshells are a natural way to get the same nutrients as manufactured pills. But you need to boil them securely before you consume them. To get rid of any egg white or yolk that is still present, wash the shells carefully first. Then, boil the shells for at least five minutes to kill any bacteria, such salmonella. After boiling them, you can dry them completely by putting them in the sun or the oven on low for about 10 minutes. After the shells are dry, use a food processor, coffee grinder, or mortar and pestle to ground them into a fine powder.
You may easily take this powder by mixing it into smoothies, soups, yogurt, or even just a tablespoon of honey. You can get more than 400 milligrams of calcium from only half a teaspoon. That’s more than half of what adults should eat every day. Eggshell calcium is especially promising because the body can easily take it in. Some studies demonstrate that the body can get calcium from eggshells equally as well as, if not better than, supplements that are offered in stores. Eggshells also provide a little bit of magnesium, phosphorus, fluoride, and zinc, which are all healthy for the immune system and bone health. Before you start taking a natural supplement every day, you should talk to your doctor about it.
Eggshells are good for your health and can aid your garden a lot. Eggshells might be the natural help you need whether you garden or wish to keep your houseplants healthy. Crushed eggshells are a good source of calcium for plants. Adding them to potting soil or garden beds adds critical minerals to the soil, keeps crops like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants from experiencing blossom-end rot, and helps the soil’s pH level stay balanced so that nutrients are easier to get to. All you have to do is dry the shells and split them up into small pieces. After that, just sprinkle them over the compost or soil.
Eggshells can keep bugs away and improve the soil at the same time. You can keep slugs, snails, and some soft-bodied pests away from plants by putting bigger, rough pieces of eggshell around the base of the plants. Bugs can’t easily crawl across it because of the sharp edges, which makes it a simple barrier without chemicals. Putting eggshells in compost piles is also an excellent idea. They take a little longer to break down than vegetable scraps, but if you smash them first, they add minerals and speed up the process. They add nutrients to your finished compost over time, which makes it a superior soil additive that is more balanced.
People who prefer to cultivate plants from seeds can use eggshells as small, biodegradable containers. To prepare the shell, cut it in half, rinse it, poke a small hole in the bottom for drainage, and then fill it with dirt and seeds. When the seedling is ready to be relocated, you can put the complete shell in the ground. It will break down and give the plant food as it grows.
Using eggshells again is more than just a clever method to save money; it’s a little, genuine way to live more sustainably. Finding new uses for things we used to assume were trash is a great way to help with the growing problem of food waste. You toss away less items, use fewer man-made things, and learn more about the natural processes around you.
We should use eggshells for anything else because they are free and easy to find. You can utilize them to give your body important minerals or to give your plants natural nutrition. Before you throw away the shell the next time you crack an egg, stop and ponder. Make it usable, clean, and dry. Nature has already done most of the work; all you have to do is agree.