The benefits of our favourite autumn-winter spices for everyday problems

As the mornings grow darker, it is especially tempting to opt for staying under the duvet instead of the usual hamster wheel. And when you look out of the window and see raindrops playing a vertical Formula 1 outside, and the fog is insidiously thickening, it is even harder to start the day. It is worth trying out the effect of starting the day with some cinnamon as a sort of revenge for the fog.

This fragrant spice – of which there are around 100 varieties, and yes, the more expensive ones are usually better quality – will first add a hint of warmth to your morning with its scent.  Then, with its taste and its beneficial effects. It is full of antioxidants, boosts blood circulation, supports digestion and is even good for the brain. It can’t make the rain clouds go away, but walking under an umbrella with a cinnamon latte in your hand is certainly more pleasant, isn’t it?

If you would like to pet a few cats while you sip, you can do so by visiting the Cat Café in Debrecen. It is worth visiting this place – not only for the cat petting, but also for the delicious cakes and coffee!

Some days, it is as if there is annoyance coming out of the tap. But while in the summer, a splash under the starry sky is a great stress reliever, in the winter cold, this is not an option.  Cardamom seeds, although not to be sipped, can be an exciting alternative in the pursuit of tranquility, partly because the active ingredients in them literally help the detoxification process.

Cardamom is called the queen of spices for a reason: the compounds in it reduce stress, relieve anxiety and improve mood. Its essential oil can also be vaporized, but if you want to ward off tension with a few tasty bites, it is worth using as a spice. It is just as delicious in heart-warming Far Eastern dishes as it is in a muffin that takes half an hour to assemble: and when you peel the paper off the freshly baked treat – by the way, cardamom enhances the sweetness of desserts, so it is worth using a little less sugar! – say goodbye to a lot of stress!

The Spejz.bistro.shop.caffe in Budaörs offers a variety of pastries, and if you are in the area (even if you are passing through!), take some time to check out the deli’s delicacies; you may find culinary treasures - maybe even ones full of cardamom!  

It's just as easy to catch a cold on the street as it is to catch it from the child who picked it up at kindergarten/school. And while sick leave can be tempting, sometimes it is not possible to stay at home. If you are not a fan of medication and only have mild symptoms, it is worth trying what ginger can do. Its antiseptic and antibacterial properties help relieve cold symptoms, so if you sip a fresh ginger tea before your must-do meeting – with a squeeze of lemon and honey – you stand a chance of minimising the amount of coughing that breaks your speech. And since ginger is supposed to relieve migraines, work won’t give you as much of a headache...

Since no cold lasts forever, once you are cured, try Mala Garden in Siófok, where even in the middle of winter you can wander in an exotic atmosphere through a world of pad thai and other Asian dishes, which are (also) bursting with ginger.

Cloves – especially if you buy the reddish-brown version instead of the black one, which contains more essential oils – are an excellent anti-inflammatory. If you have just a little sore throat or a lingering cold, chew a clove or two, because the substances in it can help relieve the symptoms.

Cloves are also a breath freshener: if you are allergic to one of the ingredients in classic chewing gums – sweetener, for example, is a problem for many – this spice can be a good alternative, so you don’t have to worry about being too close to the other one. But if you are looking for intimacy, it is worth knowing that cloves are an aphrodisiac, so they can be used for a romantic dinner: they can be used to flavour plain rice, mulled wine or the autumn-winter season’s favourite dessert, apple pie.

Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and cloves: let’s use them with courage and enjoy their beneficial effects to brighten up gloomy days!