At Tasty Hemp Oil, we flavor our Tasty Drops naturally with terpenes. That sounds great, but what are terpenes? This component of the cannabis plant plays an important role, so let’s dive into the basics.
Terpenes are aromatic compounds created by a plant. Many plants form terpenes, including citrus fruits, pine, lavender, and, yes, cannabis. In fact, there are over 200 varieties identified in the cannabis plant so far and each strain of cannabis has a unique terpene profile.
The distinct fragrance and flavor profile of cannabis is created by terpenes. While we enjoy terpenes for the fragrance, their primary purpose is to repel predators and encourage pollination.
In addition to aromatics, terpenes have beneficial properties. Similar to cannabinoids, they bind to receptors in the brain produces various effects. Researchers are still uncovering how they can be of benefit to the human body; however, the therapeutic properties of terpenes have been applied for centuries. Just think of how we use lavender for its calming properties!
Trichomes
Trichomes are shiny mushroom-shaped crystals that are found on leaves of the cannabis plant. Think of these as a natural shield, protecting the cannabis plant from pests like insects or animals. How do they do this? They use the smell of terpenes to repel those dangers! Humans can also smell them, but they don’t have a negative effect on how we view cannabis or other such plants.
The Entourage Effect
Initially, the effect of cannabis was thought to come exclusively from cannabinoids such as CBD and THC. Now, researchers are finding that they also play a role in the effect of cannabis. We are learning that terpenes interact with cannabinoids to produce an outcome unique to the compounds alone. Since both terpenes and cannabinoids bind to receptors in the brain, they can affect the chemical output of one another. This synergy is known to researchers as the entourage effect.
Terpenes not only offer a natural solution to flavor, but they also play an important role in the interaction of cannabis and our bodies. We look forward to uncovering more about these compounds to understand the full benefit of cannabis.
At Tasty Hemp Oil, we use terpenes from plants such as hemp and clary sage to produce our spearmint, berry, vanilla, and natural Tasty Drops flavors. We’ve chosen them for both their benefit to the body and the unique interaction with cannabinoids.