Terpenes tend to be overlooked by many when it comes to cannabis. While many focus on CBD and THC, terpenes also play a role in the overall potency of cannabis. What many think is merely flavor plays a crucial role in the effect of cannabis on a consumer.
What are Terpenes?
Terpenes are the aromatic compounds that provide plants their scent. These compounds are what you smell or taste when you pick or use herbs in your food. In some cases, the aroma from terpenes is what protects plants from animals.
Terpenes are abundant in cannabis. With the health benefits of cannabis, terpenes play a role in making consumption even more pleasurable or effective.
How are Terpenes Different from Cannabinoids?
Terpenes and cannabinoids are compounds found in resin glands, buds, and leaves of cannabis plants but have different functions.
Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that trigger cannabinoid receptors in people. The medicinal value of cannabis is often found with cannabinoids that activate the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the body. Both CB1 and CB2 help improve body functions when activated.
Terpenes, meanwhile, possess the flavor of cannabis and also contain medicinal value. These benefits include acid reflux, heartburn, diabetes, and anxiety treatment, among others.
Cannabinoids and terpenes relate to each other. When terpenes are abundant, likely, cannabinoid levels are also high.
Do Terpenes Get You High? Do They Contain Any THC or CBD?
Terpenes alone don’t get you high, but many experts believe that terpene profiles can affect the high you can get. For instance, it’s been suggested that specific terpene compounds have potentials for certain conditions, such as anxiety and depression. An excellent example of this would be Linalool.
Terpenes don’t contain CBD nor THC; instead, you can sometimes find terpenes in the CBD you consume. But it’s not all the time that CBD will have terpenes.
How Do You Use Terpenes?
Terpenes are an excellent way of adding flavor to make cannabis consumption more pleasurable. After all, ingesting cannabis has side effects, and in some cases, the actual material consumed isn’t at all that good. That’s why manufacturers of bud trimmers ensure terpene preservation so that you get the full flavor.
There are different ways of consuming terpenes, often derived from CBD oils that you can buy in authorized places. You can use terpenes in aromatherapy using a diffuser. You simply add the terpene oil into the diffuser of your choice. Alternatively, you can also use reed diffusers, which are simpler to use.
Terpenes may also be used in making edibles. With the help of an extraction system or a rosin press, you can get terpenes out into a concentrated form that you can mix into edibles. Alternatively, you can also combine your material with oil or butter to make an infusion for salads. For sure, the terpenes can complement many recipes.
You can also use terpenes to add flavor to your vaporizer. While you can’t vape terpene oils alone, by mixing it with an existing e-liquid base, you can take up a notch of your favorite liquids.
You can also use terpense with lotions and creams. By adding flavor profiles, the terpenes can add aromatics to help you relax. If you’re suffering from body pain, the aroma from the terpenes can add to improve relaxation. Note that terpene oil can be harsh on the skin and needs to be diluted. If you’re buying off the shelf, check the labels for diluting instructions.
What are Some of Cannabis-Derived Terpenes?
There are over a hundred terpenes that you can find in cannabis. But there are four common terpenes: Limonene, Myrcene, Pinene, and Linalool. Limonene is often used as an alternative to treat heartburn and acid reflux. Myrcene, meanwhile, is a good option for treating diabetes. Pinene is an excellent option to treat certain fungal infections, and lastly, Linalool is a common terpene in plants that work best for diabetes and hypertension. The nice thing about terpenes, in general, is that mixing them helps create a relieving concoction that helps people in pain.
Terpene preservation is essential, especially when looking to add flavor to your edibles. And if you’re looking to improve the effects of cannabis or hemp on you, it’s worth checking what terpenes the strain has. That said, terpenes go a long way in improving the cannabis experience, whether for leisure or medicinal purposes.
