How to Use Eggshell for Calcium with Mini-Measuring Spoons
Many with IBD kitties use eggshell as a fresh bone replacement in the diet, or at a minimum use eggshell during the transition to raw.
How to make eggshell powder. Rinse shells, leave the membrane. Pat dry. Bake at 350F (175C) for 10 minutes. Use a CLEAN coffee or spice grinder (or mortar and pestle – or a spoon in a bowl until you can get something easier) to grind the shells into a fine powder, the consistency of baking soda. If the eggshells are not finely ground, the measurements will be off. The less fine the grind, the more you need – but we can’t be sure how much. If you use an electric grinder, let it sit for 15 minutes or so before opening it, or you’ll have an egghell dust cloud. The shells can be stored in a glass jar, they do not need to be refrigerated.
If you are in the U.S. you can purchase eggshell powder. It is the last item in the e-shop at http://www.knowwhatyoufeed.com/shop_online.html (The same company that sells Alnutrin, Alnutrin with calcium, and Alnutrin with eggshell).
Note 1: MORE is not better.
NOTE 2: For balancing cooked meat, use the RAW weight prior to cooking for balancing with eggshell or calcium supplements.
Note 3: THE GRIND MATTERS. There are differences in volume measures depending on how finely ground any ingredient is. For this purpose, the eggshell is as fine as flour – very finely ground. If you have a scale that weighs 10ths of grams, it is best to make sure your one teaspoon of eggshell weighs 6.1 grams.
1 pound of raw food (453.6g): 1/2 (one-half) teaspoon of eggshell powder (3.1 grams).
1 ounce of raw food (28.4g): 1/32 teaspoon of eggshell powder (0.2 grams).
1/2 ounce of raw food (14.2g): 1/64 teaspoon of eggshell powder (0.1 grams).
Some mini-measuring spoons are not marked in fractions of teaspoons. Their measures are:
TAD = 1/4 tsp (Largest measuring spoon)
DASH = 1/8 tsp
PINCH = 1/16 tsp
SMIDGEN = 1/32 tsp
DROP = 1/64 tsp (Smallest measuring spoon)
MEAT REQUIRES MUCH MORE THAN CALCIUM TO BE NUTRITIONALLY BALANCED.
For baby food: Beech Nut, Goya, and Gerber baby foods use 2.5 ounce jars. Each 2.5 ounce jar contains the equivalent of ONE ounce of cooked meat. BUT the chicken baby food effectively contains bone broth, so requires a different amount of calcium. Please see “How to Balance Baby Food to Make it Nutritionally Complete.”
Also please note: mini-measuring spoons are not always as accurately manufactured as the larger measuring spoons normally used in baking. When making larger batches of food, it is best to use traditional measuring spoons rather than multiple measures of the mini spoons.
How to make eggshell powder. Rinse shells, leave the membrane. Pat dry. Bake at 350F (175C) for 10 minutes. Use a CLEAN coffee or spice grinder (or mortar and pestle – or a spoon in a bowl until you can get something easier) to grind the shells into a fine powder, the consistency of baking soda. If the eggshells are not finely ground, the measurements will be off. The less fine the grind, the more you need – but we can’t be sure how much. If you use an electric grinder, let it sit for 15 minutes or so before opening it, or you’ll have an egghell dust cloud. The shells can be stored in a glass jar, they do not need to be refrigerated.
If you are in the U.S. you can purchase eggshell powder. It is the last item in the e-shop at http://www.knowwhatyoufeed.com/shop_online.html (The same company that sells Alnutrin, Alnutrin with calcium, and Alnutrin with eggshell).
Note 1: MORE is not better.
NOTE 2: For balancing cooked meat, use the RAW weight prior to cooking for balancing with eggshell or calcium supplements.
Note 3: THE GRIND MATTERS. There are differences in volume measures depending on how finely ground any ingredient is. For this purpose, the eggshell is as fine as flour – very finely ground. If you have a scale that weighs 10ths of grams, it is best to make sure your one teaspoon of eggshell weighs 6.1 grams.
1 pound of raw food (453.6g): 1/2 (one-half) teaspoon of eggshell powder (3.1 grams).
1 ounce of raw food (28.4g): 1/32 teaspoon of eggshell powder (0.2 grams).
1/2 ounce of raw food (14.2g): 1/64 teaspoon of eggshell powder (0.1 grams).
Some mini-measuring spoons are not marked in fractions of teaspoons. Their measures are:
TAD = 1/4 tsp (Largest measuring spoon)
DASH = 1/8 tsp
PINCH = 1/16 tsp
SMIDGEN = 1/32 tsp
DROP = 1/64 tsp (Smallest measuring spoon)
MEAT REQUIRES MUCH MORE THAN CALCIUM TO BE NUTRITIONALLY BALANCED.
For baby food: Beech Nut, Goya, and Gerber baby foods use 2.5 ounce jars. Each 2.5 ounce jar contains the equivalent of ONE ounce of cooked meat. BUT the chicken baby food effectively contains bone broth, so requires a different amount of calcium. Please see “How to Balance Baby Food to Make it Nutritionally Complete.”
Also please note: mini-measuring spoons are not always as accurately manufactured as the larger measuring spoons normally used in baking. When making larger batches of food, it is best to use traditional measuring spoons rather than multiple measures of the mini spoons.