Make Your Own Calcium Carbonate and How to Use It for Health
Note: This article is about how and why you can and should easily make your own healthy calcium powder using eggshells from chickens. Find out the science behind eggshell calcium and simple directions for making calcium powder to support your bone health, teeth, and body.
I am a midlife lady, and I have watched the enamel wear painstakingly off my teeth over the years. Also, as women (especially) age, the threat of osteoporosis is real.
I had no idea you could actually remineralize your teeth and bones with the right diet and supplements---but you CAN! According to the NIH (National Institute of Health), calcium is effective at remineralization of both teeth and bone!
Since I've discovered this fact, I've been fanatically improving my teeth, diet and mouth for my health--and appearance too. One of the things I’m trying to be more consistent about is making sure I take the right amount of calcium each day.
You can also help your children keep strong, healthy enamel and fight off tooth decay. You might enjoy this article about tooth health for lots more information about how to keep your teeth healthy and what to do about tooth ache or tooth decay.
And of course, we all know how good calcium is for our bones, right? You can support your bone health by drinking this Healthy Bones Tea blend you can make yourself using mineral rich herbs, and…..
Why not make your own calcium powder to use as well?
There are many things that go into keeping your teeth and bones healthy, but calcium is one of the top performers to understand.
Here are some facts that show why you should add calcium carbonate to your diet, what it is, and how to make your own, as well as how to supplement your health with it.
Did you know eggshells are absolutely the best natural source of calcium around? Surprise! They absolutely are!
Find Out How to Make Your Own Calcium Powder with Eggshells
**You may also enjoy this article about another important mineral: Magnesium, in How to Make Your Own Magnesium Oil and Why You Need to Add Magnesium to Your Health Routine.
What is calcium powder? Why do we need to take it? Can it really remineralize our teeth? Find out about calcium carbonate powder, including how to make it with eggshells, how to use it, and why it's the best way to supplement your body with calcium! #homemade #calcium #supplement #calciumpowder #howtouse #healingharvesthomestead #health #natural
FTC Disclosure: There are affiliate links scattered throughout this article. If you click through and make any kind of purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
What Are Eggshells Made Of?
I used to wonder this after we got our own chickens and they began laying….but especially once I heard you can use them as a calcium supplement! Eggshell making is a fascinating process! One time, I happened to open the back side of our nesting boxes and one of the Mamas was in the process of laying. Up she went, and I got to watch the "birth" of an egg, clear coat and all.
Chicken egg shells are about 95% Calcium carbonate.
There are many types of calcium supplements on the market, but calcium carbonate is the closest to the calcium in our own teeth and bones! Why not get your calcium from nature's best place---your own wholesome food!?
Some Quick Facts About Eggshells
An eggshell is about 95% calcium carbonate. The remaining 5% consists of other important minerals.
One eggshell provides about 700 mg to 850 mg of calcium! That's 1/2 to 1 whole daily serving of calcium for an adult.
The shell of an egg is only about 10% of the total egg, by weight.
Tiny pores cover the surface of the eggshell, allowing oxygen in and toxins and carbon dioxide out!
Chickens will sometimes eat their own eggs---ostensibly for the calcium in the eggshell.
We give our dogs each an egg a day, raw. I found out they love to eat the eggshell and all! (This is what led me begin to research eggshells and their safety for internal use.
Did you know chickens coat their eggs with a clear substance as it exits the vent? This quickly dries and creates a protective barrier against bacteria and other organisms. This is called "the bloom." That's why you don't need to refrigerate fresh eggs that haven't been washed! And...they last a SUPER long time when they are not washed.
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Why Should You Even Bother Making Your Own Eggshell Calcium Powder?
You can go out and buy calcium supplements, sure….
But do you REALLY know what’s in that bottle and exactly where it comes from?
Personally, I no longer trust most products on the store shelves, unless I have researched the company and feel REALLY good about them. Over and over again, there have been incidences where the FDA has found that what a product label states is in the ingredients, is not what is actually in it! And those are the ones that are caught!
These are large manufacturers too, which are supposed to adhere to strict FDA compliance laws. It seems there are few consequences for the large manufacturers….
Note: I tend to place the small Mom & Pop operations in a completely different category. Shop Small!
Not to mention, the freshness of the product on store shelves is definitely in question. How long has the product been sitting on the shelves? What is the length of time from beginning of the process to the final product?
I look at the supplement bottles on the store shelves, and not only am confused by the prolific number of them, but the labels are often misleading too. That's why---If I can make it myself, I sure do. Especially if it's easy, there is just no excuse.
Frankly, I like to KNOW what is in what I put in my body. That's one of the reasons I just love to make my own supplements, herbal teas, foods, grow my own vegetables and meats, and make my own medicines.
So, here is a way you can turn a scrap (egg shells) into your medicine, as Hippocrates famously suggests! So, in an ...eggshell (lol), that's why I use my egg shells to make my own Calcium supplement.
There are many uses for calcium powder too! It never goes to waste!
All About the Health Benefits of Calcium, and Some Fun Facts
Before I go into the directions for making your own calcium powder from eggshells, here is a little information you should know about calcium, because there are different kinds of calcium.
1. There are two main kinds of calcium you can use as a supplement. Calcium carbonate and calcium citrate.
2. Calcium carbonate is what 95% of the eggshell is made of, and it most closely resembles our own bones and teeth. The other minerals found in eggshells help our bodies actually use and absorb the calcium. You do need to take calcium carbonate (eggshell calcium) with some food, because it is the hydrochloric acid in our stomachs that helps us absorb the calcium.
3. Calcium citrate is another form of calcium that can be ingested. It does not have to be taken with food, since the acid it contains helps your body metabolize it. There are some who feel one type of calcium is better than the other, but essentially, they both do the same thing. I prefer the carbonate form because it is closest in composition to our own bones and teeth.
4. Here is a government website that explains all about calcium.
5. Making your own calcium supplement with eggshells is super easy, practically free, and WAY better for you because you'll know where it comes from.
How to Make Your Own Calcium Carbonate from Your Eggshells
Step 1) First, rinse and save your shells.
You should plan on having the shells from at least 18 eggs.
You MUST consider the source of your eggs.
The quality of the shell of your eggshells is only as good as the food the chickens eat and the environment in which they live. If those poor chickens are in a cruel and inhumane laying torture chamber (i.e. a large egg farm where they are caged their whole life and often have their beaks cut so they don't harm each other from stress), I will not support them. I haven't bought commercial eggs in years.
I'm fortunate enough to raise my own chickens, so I know how they live and eat. Plus, I don't clean them off with chemicals and bleach, as commercial eggs are. But if you cannot do that, then PLEASE buy the best eggs you can: Pasture raised, organic, soy free.
Don't get pasture raised confused with pasteurized. Pasture raised refers to the way the chickens get to live their lives in addition to what they eat. Pasture raised eggs are more expensive. But, to me, that expense is worth it---especially if you are feeding children.
If you can't raise your own chickens, try to source your eggs from local farmers or backyard egg sellers. People who raise chickens in their backyards often sell their extra eggs to offset feed costs.
If you want to learn more about the evils of the Concentrated Animal Food Operations (CAFO’s), which are unimaginably horrific, take a look at: Don’t Eat ThAT Meat!
Step 2) Boil the shells.
I like to boil the shells for about 10 minutes or so to kill any pathogens. I know not everyone does this, but I feel it's important, especially if you are buying your eggs from the store. You don't know who has touched/handled the eggs or the cleanliness of the processing facility. Please don't skip this step!
Here are the eggshells boiling for about 10 minutes to kill pathogens. I think my husband must not have rinsed a couple of them because you can see some of the white albumin bubbling too! No problem!
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Step 3) Bake the shells.
Cool them a bit, then shake off excess moisture. Lay them out on a piece of aluminum foil or a cookie sheet. BAKE at 200 to 250 degrees for about 20 minutes until they are completely dried out. I've left mine a bit longer and it hasn't hurt them. Be sure they are completely dried.
Step 4) Grind them into a fine powder.
Now place the slightly crushed shells in a spice or coffee grinder! Grind until you have a fine powder. You want it as fine as possible if you are going to take it internally.
And that's it! :-) You now have your own Calcium carbonate supplement!
Here is clean and purified, finely ground Calcium powder----suitable as a supplement you can take or for other uses too! Here's a link to an article that explains ways to use calcium powder.
Final Thoughts About Eggshell Calcium Powder and How Much You Should Take
I love this stuff. It's easy to make, I'm so comfortable using it, and it's FREE. Triple WIN. There are many ways to use calcium powder, from the garden, to making coffee, to using it as a supplement, or in remineralizing toothpaste! It pays to make your own!
To use your calcium powder: Start small---about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon in your food or smoothies, and even less for children. Then build up as you get to know your own tolerance. Calcium can sometimes cause digestive issues (although, as stated above, calcium carbonate is also used as an antacid!)
You can also use calcium carbonate powder to make homemade toothpaste. You can find two great recipes for homemade tooth powder that help remineralize your teeth in this link!
Have you made your own calcium powder before? Or perhaps your own tooth powder? I'd love to know your thoughts, questions, concerns...so please leave a comment! :-)
Hugs, Health, & Self-Reliance!
Heidi
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Disclaimer: The information in this article, elsewhere on my blog, in my shop sites, in conversations, and on labels is for informational purposes only and not meant to cure, treat, diagnose, or prevent any medical condition. I am not a medical doctor, so please see a medical professional for concerns. I simply provide my own personal opinion based on experience and study for ways to live a healthy and natural way of life. I disclaim any liability arising directly or indirectly from the use of any of the information contained in this article or elsewhere on this website. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.
Did you know that eggshells are one of the best ways you can get the calcium you need? Find out how to make your very own calcium powder using eggshells. It's super cheap, easy, and good for you too. Plus learn why you and your kids need to take and use calcium powder in your life. #toothpowder #homemadetoothpaste #calcium #calciumpowder #howtomake #supplement #health #natural #healingharvesthomestead