You open a fresh jar of flower and inhale that sharp aroma. Sweet, spicy, citrusy, earthy, floral, pungent — those scents, formed inside the cannabis trichomes, are terpenes. Aromatic molecules, terpenes are responsible for the fragrance and flavor of cannabis.
To break it down simply, terpenes are the building blocks of scent and taste. Like essential oils, which are extracted from a variety of plants and foods, they are valued for their medicinal properties and interact with the body in a variety of ways. When you breathe in cannabis, your senses are perceiving a collection of terpenes.
Composition of Terpenes
Scientifically speaking, terpenes are hydrocarbons; a compound made of hydrogen and carbon. They are aroma emitting phenols made by many plants. Like other cannabinoids, terpenes bind to receptors in the brain, causing different psychological effects. With over 100 identified terpenes in the cannabis plant, each strain of cannabis has its own unique profile of terpenes. Thus, different scents, flavors and effects.
Relaxing or uplifting and everything in between, terpenes do more than provide flavor and aroma. The terpenes in Sativa strains tend to be stimulating, whereas the terpenes found in Indica strains are frequently soothing and sedative. Terpenes support other cannabis molecules in providing desired effects.
The 10 most common terpenes are:
- Myrcene
- Limonene
- Pinene
- Eucalyptol
- Delta-3-Carene
- Beta-Caryophyllene
- Humulene
- Borneol
- Terpineol
Doing more than adding delicious flavor to your flower, terpenes are responsible for the unique feelings associated with your favorite strain.
Terpene tip: Smell it. How does that scent make you feel?
Check back soon for more #420facts and details on each unique terpene.
