Hear Us Out: Crushed Eggshells Are The Secret To Better Cups Of Coffee

Some people will spend endless cash trying to make a more enjoyable cup of coffee. Between unconventional brews like kopi luwak, which is extracted from the droppings of Asian palm civets, and fancy coffee makers that promise to give you the best java of your life, aficionados are always looking to make their morning cups taste better. But it's actually as easy as throwing an eggshell into your grounds. Whether you brew your coffee in a French press, moka pot, or traditional machine, adding a crushed eggshell to brew with your grounds will result in a mellower, smoother, less bitter cup of coffee. This is no old wives' tale; it's simple science.

Every food has a pH level, and depending on where it falls on the scale, a food is either acidic, neutral, or alkaline. Coffee beans are acidic; this is what can sometimes make coffee taste bitter. Eggshells, on the other hand, are considered alkaline, and when they're added to something acidic like coffee, they help provide balance. In other words, no more bitterness. You won't be able to taste a hint of egg, and there shouldn't be any shells that end up in your cup so long as you're using some sort of coffee filter.

If you like to eat eggs in the morning along with your coffee, you might as well give this method a try since the eggshells are there for the taking. First, you'll want to remove any raw egg from the insides of the shells; rinse them with vinegar first and then water before gently drying them and finally crushing them. Place the crushed shells in with your coffee grounds and brew as normal.

Use shells from raw, uncooked eggs, as boiled eggshells can leave an eggy flavor in your drink due to the sulfur that's released when eggs are cooked. If you're concerned about salmonella, you should stick with a brewing method that requires boiling water, like French press, as boiling water will disinfect any bacteria on the shell. Commercially sold eggs are also required to be washed by the producers to avoid the risk of salmonella.

There's a similar coffee known as Swedish egg coffee that's particularly popular in the Midwest, but it uses an entire raw egg mixed with coffee grounds, resulting in a seriously unappetizing-looking concoction that you put into boiling water. The mixture basically acts as a filter, absorbing bitter flavors and the coffee grounds, so when it's removed, you have a chunk-free, great-tasting beverage. By using crushed eggshells instead, you avoid those steps and the unappealing visuals, still ending up with smooth, clean-tasting coffee that you can enjoy black or fixed up with creamers, syrups, and sugars.

Whether you choose to de-bitter your coffee with eggshells or not, it's good to know that the life and usefulness of eggshells can go way beyond your morning omelet. For starters, both coffee grounds and eggshells are fantastic additions to your compost bin, if you have one. There's calcium in the shells, and all sorts of goodness in the coffee grounds like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that plants love. Just remember that coffee is acidic, and some plants don't like that. Do your homework on which plants can handle and thrive in an acidic environment before you sprinkle grounds throughout your entire garden.

Crushed eggshells on their own are good for deterring pests from damaging your plants; sprinkle them around the base of your vegetation and watch those slugs and snails make a U-turn. The calcium in eggshells also happens to make an excellent cleaner. If you have coffee stains in your pot or mugs, put some eggshells and water inside and let it all sit overnight. Give the pots and mugs a scrub the next day and those stains should rinse away along with the shells. Just when we thought eggs and bacon went hand in hand (especially when the eggs are fried in bacon grease), it turns out that coffee may have been its egg-tastic soulmate after all.