That's right. Eggshell water. Fresh eggshells from free-ranging, local hens (I wouldn't use conventional store-bought eggs for this) crushed and steeped in hot, nearly boiling, water.
Stuart says the idea of it grosses him out, but then I reminded him of what's in ‘convenience' food. It's all perspective, people. With a lot of conventional, store-bought food in America, it seems that ignorance is bliss. As long as the consumer doesn't know what's actually in it, they don't care (hello, pepperoni). Well, I love you Stuart, but I'm going to put this in your smoothie anyway.
But why eggshell water?
For the same reason we eat all food – nourishment to our bodies!
Egg shells/egg membranes are rich in calcium and minerals. Steeping them in water leeches the minerals and calcium out of the shells and into the water. Pretty simple. This water aids in the building of strong bones. It aids in the relief of bone pain, joint pain, and inflammation. It's even been found beneficial in preventing and easing arthritis!
Here's the step-by-step:
1. Wash the remaining egg residue out of eight, fresh eggshells. Just some warm water and a bit of rubbing from your fingers should remove the remaining egg white. Make sure to leave the membrane in the egg shell – that's where the nourishment comes from!
2. Place into a mason jar and use a spoon to crush the egg shells.
3. Cover with four cups of nearly boiling, filtered water. You may also add a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice at this stage.
4. Allow to cool on your counter. Strain out the eggshells and discard. Store the water in your refrigerator, sipping on it in small amounts.
A good way to take the eggshell water would be to just pour a tablespoon or so of it in your glass of water throughout the day. It doesn't taste like anything, so it won't ruin whatever your drinking. This makes it very easy to add to smoothies, iced chai teas, milk, juice, kombucha, water, etc. I've been taking it with water, aloe vera, and elderberry syrup. It's actually quite a wonderful combination.
As with all calcium supplements, it's important to not take too much at once. Our bodies are only capable of absorbing calcium in small doses, so sipping on this is much more effective than gulping an 8 oz. glass of it. Don't do that.
As I was researching the eating of eggshells, I found that it is still common practice in Norway for folks to grind the eggshells up with their coffee beans and steep them both together for a little extra morning calcium boost in their coffee. Now there's an idea! Plus, egg shells apparently take some of the acid out of the coffee – making it more palatable.
It turns out, there are two popular ways to utilize the nutrients from the eggshell. The first involves steeping the eggshells in hot water, like we've done (or another option would be to add them to your homemade chicken stock while it simmers – same idea). The second involves washing out the eggshell, allowing it to dry for a day on the counter, and then grinding it in a coffee grinder or spice grinder until it's a fine powder. This powder can then be added to smoothies or oatmeal or what-have-you. This would be another easy way to make your own free calcium and mineral supplement! Booya!
I'm hoping that by taking this water regularly, it will help to relieve some of the aches and pains that pregnancy brings. After all, there is more weight bearing down on those ‘ol bones these days.
Plus, I love the fact that it utilizes something we would normally deem as “waste” and turns it into something wonderful and nourishing for our weary bodies.
I’ve been taking a calcium, magnesium, & Vitamin D3 supplement. It contains ingredients I can’t even pronounce. Too much un natural stuff. I’ll take the egg shells crushed into a powder and added to my coffee.
This is brilliant. I’ve been wanting to start taking a calcium supplement anyway–I know I’m not getting enough. But Shaye, real, decent, anything-but-store-brand-eggs around here are SO expensive. I know there’s probably a difference in nutrients between higher- and lower-quality egg shells, but in terms of the calcium content, aren’t egg shells, well, egg shells? What do you think? (Otherwise, I’ll invest in some higher-quality eggs once every two months or so and make the powder, or the water, last a long time!)
free range eggs where I live run $3.50 on the cheap. Cage free is cheaper, but does not afford the chickens the free range they need to peck their way through their lives, giving us 3x the nutrition compared to the standard store bought egg.
Not everyone lives close to a supplier. Organic eggs run close to $6 in every supermarket close to me. I live in a majorbcity and any small farm is an hour’s drive through traffic. Free range or local are around $4, standard eggs are $2. You can guess which eggs this broke grad student gets.
Interesting. I never thought of taking this myself. I do grind it into powder and give it back to the chickens as a replacement for oyster shells. Not a lot; but on occasion. Also…because we get so many egg shells– I sprinkle it back into the garden boxes…to fortify the soil.
If you’re having pregnancy aches and pains, you need magnesium, especially if you’re starting to take extra calcium! You need both, but they work against each other. Take magnesium on an empty stomach, and definitely not with a fatty meal. Too much calcium can throw off your cal/mag balance and things can get pretty bad when your magnesium is too low. Read “The Miracle of Magnesium” by Dr. Carolyn Dean (M.D. and N.D.). Since starting on magnesium during this pregnancy, my pain has been much less, and I’ve not had a single headache (common for me anyway, but especially during pregnancy).
I found an old Depression era cookbook that uses eggshell water to make what is called Rivels (aka dumplings) that goes with Doggie Soup (basically 2 lbs of hot dogs & potatos cooked like soup).
When growing up it was my task to make coffee every morning. Since both of my parents were of Swedish heritage. It was always egg coffee. The egg is mixed with the grounds to hold them together when boiled and the shells were always tossed in. Cooked on the stove and poured through a strainer. My son loves Swedish pancakes but thinks their over the top when served with Swedish egg coffee.
Oh, I just love this Idea! I did not know that we in Norway had such a tradition. I think I migth talk with my grandma about this to see if she knows about it.
My grandmother always soaked her egg shells and used the water for her African violets. They were beautiful. The egg shells were baked, crushed, and fed back to the hens to provide a little extra calcium. She also believed by cooking them first it would keep the hens from eating their own eggs.
Nice idea. I add eggshell to my water kefir to provide extra minerals for the grains. I am sure some of the calcium leaches into the kefir because they eventually disintegrate. The other way I use them is in the garden – I crush them and sprinkle them on the soil around plants. Not only does this keep slugs and snails away, it adds minerals to the soil.
What would be a good way to add them to a salad. I’m sure the powder could be used in lots of dishes we cook. Such as our scrambled eggs, spaghetti sauce, chili, meat loaf, etc. Just a thought. What do you think??
I have heard and tried the drying egg shells in the oven and grinding them to powder to put in smoothies. I love the idea of so much minerals from my own hens shells, but couldnt get past the grit. I like this idea more! and its easier!! 😉 We are trying to remineralize our teeth along with other supplements and homemade toothpaste…we realize it is a time consuming thing, but it makes more sense than some dental practices. Thanks for this post 🙂
Ah yes, the Norwegians and their egg coffee. It’s a big thing here in the US- check out just about any Norwegian Lutheran church get together and you’ll probably get some egg coffee. 😉
I just saw this post and I’m wondering how clean the eggshells have to be? We have our own chickens and the eggs are not always very clean! ( I do wash the eggs before using them of course) . They are basically free range chickens and sometimes the eggs are anywhere. I feel a little queasy using the eggshells with my quick wash I do. Any ideas?
Do you think it would be ok to do this if I have a sensitivity to eggs (both the yolk and white)? I would love to have a natural source of extra calcium but am afraid to try this in case I have the same reaction to the shells.
I’ve been using crushed egg shells in my garden for a while. It’s amazing how fast my veggie babies shoot up over night. Haven’t tried using boiled egg shell water. It’s just too much work to boil the egg and let the water cool before adding to the garden. Much easier to dry the egg shells, grind in coffee grinder, and add to miracle grow watering cup attached to my garden hose.
My midwife gave a recipe close to this, to a friend of mine for preeclampsia, but I think she would put the clean eggshells in cider vinegar until they were dissolved and then add it to water. Happy to say Mother and baby did great, the baby just graduated college.
All those tablets are made of chemical form of calcium(inorganic calcium). The type of calcium derived through the egg shell is natural calcium (organic calcium) and has 50% better absorption rate by the body.
So glad I read your article! Watched two youtube videos which both said to boil ten minutes. Seemed counter intuitive, so fortunately I decided to research it further. Also, you might check to verify your claim about using vinegar: Someone made the comment that it leaches out/destroys the vitamins because it is acid?
I am so thrilled at this. Currently in menopause & having to take an oral cancer treatment that causes osteoporosis (thankyou breast cancer) & have been struggling to make sure I get enough calcium. I’ve been using crushed egg shells for a while in my garden. I am so excited to try them in my coffee. Thanks for sharing the tips.
Okay. So by now, you’ve had a few weeks to get your sourdough starter up and bubblin’. Right? Right, people? You read my post, ordered your sourdough starter, added some warm water,…
Oh, I made somethin’ yummy people. Well, it might have just tasted really yummy after multiple dinner disasters last week, but either way, I shall enjoy the dinner glory while the moment lasts. Fresh. Simple. …
I am in love with the world at this moment in all it’s spring glory. I’m also in love with this creamy asparagus soup recipe. It lifts up the goodness…
I think I will try this in my coffee!
ewwwhhhhh yuk ! i think i’ll just take this in vitamin form 🙂
I’ve been taking a calcium, magnesium, & Vitamin D3 supplement. It contains ingredients I can’t even pronounce. Too much un natural stuff. I’ll take the egg shells crushed into a powder and added to my coffee.
This is brilliant. I’ve been wanting to start taking a calcium supplement anyway–I know I’m not getting enough. But Shaye, real, decent, anything-but-store-brand-eggs around here are SO expensive. I know there’s probably a difference in nutrients between higher- and lower-quality egg shells, but in terms of the calcium content, aren’t egg shells, well, egg shells? What do you think? (Otherwise, I’ll invest in some higher-quality eggs once every two months or so and make the powder, or the water, last a long time!)
Jaimie – why are good eggs so expensive there? Have you looked for a supplier on craigslist? We pick up ours for $2.50 a dozen…not bad at all!
free range eggs where I live run $3.50 on the cheap. Cage free is cheaper, but does not afford the chickens the free range they need to peck their way through their lives, giving us 3x the nutrition compared to the standard store bought egg.
Not everyone lives close to a supplier. Organic eggs run close to $6 in every supermarket close to me. I live in a majorbcity and any small farm is an hour’s drive through traffic. Free range or local are around $4, standard eggs are $2. You can guess which eggs this broke grad student gets.
Interesting.
I never thought of taking this myself. I do grind it into powder and give it back to the chickens as a replacement for oyster shells. Not a lot; but on occasion. Also…because we get so many egg shells– I sprinkle it back into the garden boxes…to fortify the soil.
Thanks for this new idea– may give it a try.
Pat
I just LOVE this. Its an idea to tuck away for when I can get quality eggs. Thanks for sharing!
If you’re having pregnancy aches and pains, you need magnesium, especially if you’re starting to take extra calcium! You need both, but they work against each other. Take magnesium on an empty stomach, and definitely not with a fatty meal. Too much calcium can throw off your cal/mag balance and things can get pretty bad when your magnesium is too low. Read “The Miracle of Magnesium” by Dr. Carolyn Dean (M.D. and N.D.). Since starting on magnesium during this pregnancy, my pain has been much less, and I’ve not had a single headache (common for me anyway, but especially during pregnancy).
I found an old Depression era cookbook that uses eggshell water to make what is called Rivels (aka dumplings) that goes with Doggie Soup (basically 2 lbs of hot dogs & potatos cooked like soup).
When growing up it was my task to make coffee every morning. Since both of my parents were of Swedish heritage. It was always egg coffee. The egg is mixed with the grounds to hold them together when boiled and the shells were always tossed in. Cooked on the stove and poured through a strainer.
My son loves Swedish pancakes but thinks their over the top when served with Swedish egg coffee.
Oh, I just love this Idea!
I did not know that we in Norway had such a tradition. I think I migth talk with my grandma about this to see if she knows about it.
My grandmother always soaked her egg shells and used the water for her African violets. They were beautiful. The egg shells were baked, crushed, and fed back to the hens to provide a little extra calcium. She also believed by cooking them first it would keep the hens from eating their own eggs.
Love the coffee idea! Going to start doing it tomorrow! Do you think one egg shell is too much for a 4 cup pot of coffee?
Hi, 1/2 an eggshell powdered is your daily calcium requirement, depending on age, giving you approx 401mgs of calcium.
My elderly father-in-law swears by egg shells in his coffee. He’s done this his entire life.
Nice idea. I add eggshell to my water kefir to provide extra minerals for the grains. I am sure some of the calcium leaches into the kefir because they eventually disintegrate.
The other way I use them is in the garden – I crush them and sprinkle them on the soil around plants. Not only does this keep slugs and snails away, it adds minerals to the soil.
Thank you so much for this egg shell in’ and your website. It is wonderful!!
What would be a good way to add them to a salad. I’m sure the powder could be used in lots of dishes we cook. Such as our scrambled eggs, spaghetti sauce, chili, meat loaf, etc. Just a thought. What do you think??
I have heard and tried the drying egg shells in the oven and grinding them to powder to put in smoothies. I love the idea of so much minerals from my own hens shells, but couldnt get past the grit.
I like this idea more! and its easier!! 😉
We are trying to remineralize our teeth along with other supplements and homemade toothpaste…we realize it is a time consuming thing, but it makes more sense than some dental practices.
Thanks for this post 🙂
Do you think you could add a couple eggshells to the pot when making bone broth?
I don’t see why not!
I took it to mean also that with the chicken broth comment.
Ah yes, the Norwegians and their egg coffee. It’s a big thing here in the US- check out just about any Norwegian Lutheran church get together and you’ll probably get some egg coffee. 😉
I crush up my eggshells and feed them back to my chickens!
I just saw this post and I’m wondering how clean the eggshells have to be? We have our own chickens and the eggs are not always very clean! ( I do wash the eggs before using them of course) . They are basically free range chickens and sometimes the eggs are anywhere. I feel a little queasy using the eggshells with my quick wash I do. Any ideas?
Do you think it would be ok to do this if I have a sensitivity to eggs (both the yolk and white)? I would love to have a natural source of extra calcium but am afraid to try this in case I have the same reaction to the shells.
What do you consider a sip of the egg shell water…I don’t want to take-in too much?
1 oz, 2 oz?
Thanks.
There’s a comment about adding a teaspoon to your water throughout the day. I assume that is the sip.
I know im eating raw eggs and a friend showed me this, its brillant and will try. She told me banana peels also. Thank you
I use egg shells with peels of onion garlick ginger etc on plants
I was trying to get some calcium for my pot plant. looks like i may be misssing the point .oh yeah what about me .thank you.
Can cooked eggshells be used as soil fertilizer or does making eggshell tea leach out all the calcium benefits in the shell?
I was wondering the same thing, especially when boiling the eggs. Maybe I should just use the boiling water!
I’ve been using crushed egg shells in my garden for a while. It’s amazing how fast my veggie babies shoot up over night. Haven’t tried using boiled egg shell water. It’s just too much work to boil the egg and let the water cool before adding to the garden. Much easier to dry the egg shells, grind in coffee grinder, and add to miracle grow watering cup attached to my garden hose.
My midwife gave a recipe close to this, to a friend of mine for preeclampsia, but I think she would put the clean eggshells in cider vinegar until they were dissolved and then add it to water.
Happy to say Mother and baby did great, the baby just graduated college.
All those tablets are made of chemical form of calcium(inorganic calcium). The type of calcium derived through the egg shell is natural calcium (organic calcium) and has 50% better absorption rate by the body.
So glad I read your article! Watched two youtube videos which both said to boil ten minutes. Seemed counter intuitive, so fortunately I decided to research it further. Also, you might check to verify your claim about using vinegar: Someone made the comment that it leaches out/destroys the vitamins because it is acid?
I am so thrilled at this. Currently in menopause & having to take an oral cancer treatment that causes osteoporosis (thankyou breast cancer) & have been struggling to make sure I get enough calcium. I’ve been using crushed egg shells for a while in my garden. I am so excited to try them in my coffee. Thanks for sharing the tips.