A DIY beauty tip your grandmother would approve of and your skin will love

New Delhi:

In a world obsessed with beauty supplements, it’s easy to forget that glowing skin didn’t always come in a jar. Long before collagen powders and gummies promised “radiant skin” and “joint health”, Indian kitchens were already brewing, kneading, and roasting the real deal through ghee, ragi, milk, laddoos, and the quiet magic of slow, seasonal food.

Rujuta Diwekar’s Mitahara: Food Wisdom is a gentle but firm reminder that the most powerful beauty routine might just begin in your kitchen, not your vanity case. Let's get into the details.

Glow from the ground up

There’s something deliciously poetic about how Indian food heals from within. Diwekar writes that “Mitahara is the act of eating in balance, to be moderate in one’s consumption without denying oneself a good meal.” That balance, she says, is what keeps both the body and skin radiant.

Our grandmothers never spoke of “collagen boosters”, yet their skin glowed well into their seventies, thanks to what they ate, how they lived, and how slowly they did both. From ragi laddoos rich in amino acids and calcium to ghee that nourishes the skin from the inside out, their food was beauty food before the phrase even existed.

“The power of every dish comes from the mix of wisdom and compassion,” Diwekar writes, “the wisdom to tweak temperatures, ingredients, and even the style of cooking based on the season, and the compassion to serve, uplift, and contribute without expecting anything in return.”

It’s this spirit, not synthetics, that builds beauty that lasts.

The collagen connection you didn’t know you had

Collagen supplements often promise to “rebuild” the skin’s scaffolding. But what actually helps your body make collagen naturally? The same things your grandmother’s plate offered daily — protein, good fats, and vitamin C.

Amla, one of Mitahara’s winter heroes, is a collagen superstar in disguise. Packed with vitamin C, it keeps your skin firm and your hair strong. Rujuta highlights how amla murabba, chyawanprash, and even amla sherbet were designed to preserve this vitamin while adding warmth and sweetness.

Ghee and full-fat milk, both cornerstones of her recipes, deliver essential fatty acids that strengthen the skin barrier and keep it supple. Meanwhile, ragi, bajra, and other millets — what Diwekar calls “the real superfoods” — are rich in iron, zinc, and amino acids, all crucial for tissue repair and glow.

A spoon of ghee, a handful of groundnuts, and a laddoo made with jaggery — together, they offer what no factory gummy can replicate: collagen synergy, rooted in natural food chemistry.

Slow food, fast results

Beauty, like digestion, is not meant to be rushed. As Diwekar often reminds readers, “The idea is to keep the main ingredient as the main ingredient. You run a home, not a restaurant.” In other words — you don’t need 12 steps, just the right one done with care.

Our grandmothers didn’t “track macros”; they tasted, tested, and trusted. They roasted in iron kadhais (naturally infusing iron into food), used jaggery over sugar for mineral balance, and believed in rest for both dough and body.

And that, really, is the secret to their ageless beauty. Food that was cooked slowly, eaten with attention, and digested in peace doesn’t just feed the stomach — it feeds the skin, the mind, and the glow that no highlighter can fake.

DIY: Glowing-Skin Ragi–Jaggery Energy Balls (5-minute, no-fuss)

A modern-feel version of the ragi laddoo, Rujuta mentions, but quicker, lighter, and perfect for everyday beauty nutrition.

Why it works (the science + dadi logic):

• Ragi → natural plant collagen booster (amino acids + silica for skin + hair)
• Jaggery → iron-rich, improves circulation = natural glow
• Ghee → healthy fats, keep the skin barrier soft and nourished
• Nuts → vitamin E + zinc = stronger hair and smoother skin

Rujuta notes how her mother’s ragi laddoos went viral because they “worked wonders on skin and hair — proof that good things really do come in small packages.”

Ingredients (for 6–7 small balls)

• ½ cup ragi flour
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 3 tbsp jaggery powder
• 2 tbsp crushed almonds or cashews
• Pinch of cardamom (optional, but divine)

Method (super quick):

• In a pan, heat ghee gently.
• Add the ragi flour and roast for 3–4 minutes till it smells nutty.
• Switch off the flame and let it cool slightly.
• Add jaggery and nuts — mix well.
• When warm enough to handle, roll into small balls.
• Store in a glass jar and have one a day (post-lunch or with evening chai).

The beauty of belonging

Perhaps what modern beauty culture misses most isn’t nutrients, it’s the emotional nutrition that came from food cooked with attention and eaten with gratitude. The kind Diwekar describes when she says, “Cooking is the celebration of this human quality of attentiveness, the humility and confidence to pay attention even if you are making a dal for the thousandth time in your life.”

Your grandmother’s recipes worked because they nourished more than your skin. They connected you to rhythm, rest, and real nourishment.

So next time you’re tempted by a shiny jar promising “radiant skin in 7 days”, remember, you already have the real glow formula. It smells like ghee, simmers slowly, and comes with a story you can taste.