How to Make Pearl Powder

Chinese medicine prescribes pearl powder for a host of ills including insomnia, hypertension and diarrhea. The remedy only belongs to those who can afford the high cost of finely ground pearls. Retailers of pearl powder say its health benefits are legitimate, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration disagrees. It will not endorse these health claims and the FDA requires disclaimers on pearl powder packaging that state its position. However, pearl powder has been a part of Chinese medicine for hundreds of years. Those who ascribe to it can make their own pearl powder with a ceramic mortar and pestle.

Things You'll Need

• Ceramic mortar
• Pearls
• Wax paper

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Instructions

• 1

  Place one pearl in the mortar. It is too difficult to grind multiple pearls at once. The mortar and pestle must be ceramic because ceramic is harder than pearl according to Moh's hardness scale. A wooden or stone pestle will be worn away by the pearl and unable to grind properly.

• 2

  Place the pestle on top of the pearl. Tap on the pestle to crush the pearl. Begin grinding it in the mortar.

• 3

  Grind the pearl until it becomes a fine powder. It may take several minutes to reach the desired texture. Pour the pearl powder onto the waxed paper. Place the next pearl in the mortar and repeat until all pearls are ground. Store in a sealed container for future use.