Egg shells

[bazfaz]

Albert is a retired colonel in the cavalry - though sometimes people up his rank and address him as Mon General. He is now in his mid eighties and has started to learn how to fly.
Alas, last year he broke his leg. I saw him at the choir's lunch on Saturday and he is up and about and delivered a very long speech before we were allowed to eat.
He also told me that he is now eating crushed eggshells as the calcium is good for his bones.
Should we be saving our eggshells to give him?

[happytraveller]

I used to save eggshells to put around my herbs to stop the slugs from eating the herbs. I imagine it would be very crunchy between the teeth. Eugh !

[komsomol]

How to Make Powdered Eggshells:

Wash empty eggshells in warm water until all of the egg white is removed, but do not remove the membrane because it contains important nutrients for the joints which helps arthritis.

--> Lay broken pieces out on paper towels and allow them to air dry thoroughly.

--> Break the eggshells up into small pieces, and grind them to into a fine powder in a food processor, blender, coffee grinder, or a nut mill, or put them in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to grind them. Please note that some blenders will not grind the eggshell into a fine enough powder. A coffee grinder works the best.

--> Store powdered eggshells in a covered glass jar or container.

--> Keep it in a dry place, like the kitchen cupboard.

[Deleted]

What's the dosage? A mortar & pestle (a good one) works real well. I put out for the birds because some don't get enough calcium and it helps strengthen the shell of their eggs.
Also,rosemary plants love it.

[spindrift]

It's true that the constituents of eggshells can be well absorbed by the digestive tract. Calcium in tablets is rarely absorbed without the calcium being 'balanced' by one third of its weight in magnesium along with the addition of Vit D. Knowing this I take whatever opportunity I get to crunch and eat soft prawn shells, soft-shell crabs and any dried Japanese tiny fish/shrimps dried whole with bones intact.

[missalaska]

sesame seeds have a high calcium content and that can be absorbed - according to my yoga teacher.

[bixaorellana]

Just re-read this -- most interesting.

Spindrift, that would mean that crushed eggshells would deliver far more calcium to the system than most of the commercial calcium tablets, right?

MissAlaska ~~ sesame seeds frequently pass through the digestive system intact, since they're too small to always be chewed efficiently. Would it be better to crush the seeds or to eat tahini for maximum absorbtion of the sesame's calcium content?

[spindrift]

Bixa - yes...the 'natural' calcium in eggshells would be more easily absorbed in the digestive tract.

It is a regrettable fact that the contents of calcium, mineral and vitamin supplements in tablet form usually end up in the bottom of the septic tank (rather than in body cells/bones).
Natural is always best. The Japanese intuitively know this...they eat tiny shellfish/softshell fish, chewing the shells. When I get a chance I eat them at my Japanese friend's house.. I think one variety is plankton.

Sesame seeds.....they have to be crushed before eating or chewed very well for proper absorption.

Of course I must point out that everything depends on the condition of the digestive tract itself (healthy villi) as to whether nutrients are absorbed or not.

[Deleted]

The tiny grey shrimp that the French eat whole must be a good source of calcium.

[spindrift]

Yes, it would be an excellent source of calcium.