Terpenes are the essential oils found in cannabis and other plants. Terpenes are what give cannabis and hemp their flavor and aroma. There are dozens of different terpenes out there and literally thousands of terpene combinations, which means that cannabis strains can have vastly different smells and tastes.
What many people wonder, however, is whether or not terpenes affect edibles. Do terpenes matter in edibles? Are terpenes preserved when cannabinoids are extracted from cannabis, and therefore still present in edibles? Will terpenes get you high? These are all questions that we are going to do our best to answer today.
Key Takeaways
- Are terpenes edible? – Yes they are!
- Terpenes can be preserved with the right extraction process.
- Although terpenes aren’t psychoactive, they work with cannabis to produce the entourage effect.
Do Terpenes Matter in Edibles?
Terpenes can make a difference in edibles in certain ways. First and foremost, terpenes are of course all about aroma and flavor. This means that if the terpenes were preserved during the extraction process, you might taste them a little more in your edibles. This means that your edibles might taste like the strain that they are originally made from.
If your edibles don't have many terpenes, but you used a lot of raw flower, your edibles may taste more like basic hemp or plant matter, rather than specific strains and all of the interesting flavors you get with them. However, the flavor is just half of the equation here. With terpenes and cannabis, there is such a thing known as the entourage effect.
Although terpenes are not psychoactive or intoxicating, they can have various effects on your body and mental state. For instance, some terpenes are known to be calming in nature, some more energizing, some might suppress or stimulate your appetite, and so on and so forth.
Therefore, these terpenes can work in combination with cannabis to produce a variety of noticeable effects. For example, some strains of weed stimulate hunger, and some terpenes do too, and if these two come together, you're definitely going to have the munchies. This is just one example of how the entourage effect between terpenes and cannabis works.
Are Terpenes Preserved in Edibles During the Extraction Process?
Whether or not the terpenes are preserved during the extraction process from cannabis really depends on the exact type of extraction process used. When it comes down to it, it is heat and pressure that tends to destroy terpenes. Therefore, any kind of extraction process that involves heat or pressure is going to destroy the terpenes, so they won't be preserved by the time that cannabis or extract is used for edibles.
However, if a cold extraction process is used, such as cold-curing or CO2 extraction, then most of the terpenes should be preserved. However, if the method being used is something like butane extraction, where the extracted then needs to be heated up to allow the butane to dissipate, most of those terpenes will be destroyed.
Therefore, terpenes can be preserved and therefore present in edibles, but they need to be extracted in the right way. Both cold pressing and hash washing are also great ways to preserve as many terpenes as possible.
Can You Add Terpenes to Edibles?
Yes, interestingly, you can actually buy derived terpenes. These are more or less small bottles of essential oils that you can then mix in with your edibles. You can find all of the classic terpenes that your cannabis and hemp strains contain. This means that you can experiment and create your own flavor and aroma profiles.
Furthermore, you can also experiment with different terpenes in terms of the entourage effect, or how terpenes interact with the THC and other cannabinoids present in your cannabis edibles.
Just be careful when adding terpenes, because it is easy to add too many, and you can easily ruin edibles, especially flavor-wise. If you’d rather just buy some tasty edibles, check out some of our best-selling Botany Farms Pink Lemonade Tropical Mix Delta-8 THC Gummies.
Do Terpenes Have Psychoactive Effects
No, terpenes do not have any psychoactive effects. They will not alter your state of mind or cause any physical or cognitive impairment. They will not intoxicate you in any way.
With that being said, terpenes are known for their effects on the mind and body. If you do want something with psychoactive effects, check out our Botany Farms Live Resin CBD + THC Tincture. It’s the perfect tincture to make your own edibles with! However, these effects are more like CBD rather than THC, as they aren't necessarily things that you will physically feel, like the high from THC.
Rather, when combined with the THC and other cannabinoids in cannabis, this so-called entourage effect happens. Some terpenes may stimulate appetite as others may suppress appetite.
Some terpenes may make you feel calmer, whereas others may stimulate your energy levels. Some terpenes may also stimulate you sexually. There are also those known for being sleep aids. Terpenes can have potentially dozens of different effects on the mind and body, but they just aren't psychoactive.
Conclusion
If you are planning on making your own edibles, we certainly recommend adding some terpenes to the mix. If you are extracting the cannabinoids directly from the cannabis by yourself, then we certainly recommend using an ideal extraction method such as cold extraction, CO2 extraction, or hash washing.
However, if you are using a pre-bought extract, then you might want to buy some terpenes on the side to add to your edibles. If you’re looking for some tasty terpenes, check out this Delta-8 Godfather OG Pre-Roll. It’s super tasty!
