What are terpenes?

   06/06/2022 
What are terpenes?

Terpenes are hydrocarbons that are naturally contained in plants and have a particularly recognizable flavor.

They are used by the plant to generate many biological effects that we are gradually identifying through scientific research.

It seems that they may have advantages in attracting pollinators or repelling certain predators. They certainly intervene in many biological processes of the plant and they also seem to have certain effects on the human being.

Lemon, mango or pine have their recognizable smell largely thanks to the presence of these terpenes which give them their succulent taste.

Cannabis terpenes

Cannabis is no exception and the diversity of flavors that we can find in cannabis flowers is largely due to the different terpenes they contain.

For example, the "lemon" strains, which are very successful thanks to their lemony taste, owe it to the increased presence of the terpene limonene which also gives lemon its taste.

It is a completely natural coincidence that was obtained by crossing the most lemony varieties with each other in order to maximize the presence of this delicious terpene.

The same goes for other varieties with a fruit or pine flavor; they contain the same terpene as what they make you think of and this in a completely natural way.

Synthetic terpenes

But while these terpenes can be found naturally in cannabis plants, some growers are tempted to artificially add them to their harvest in order to maximize the flavor of their weed.

To do this, they buy synthetic terpenes designed in the laboratory to reproduce the desired molecule in order to imitate the flavor of their choice.

The result is a weed that lacks subtlety since it lacks a naturally complex terpene profile made up of hundreds of different terpenes to deliver an elaborate aroma.

Some users even report headaches or stomach aches with this type of doctored cannabis flower.

We therefore do not recommend these flowers with added terpenes which will be unpleasant to consume in addition to lacking the natural aromatic complexity of flowers produced according to the rules of the art.

How to recognize flowers with added terpene?

To recognize this type of flower with added synthetic terpene, there are two, three reflexes to have that will allow you to differentiate them from naturally tasty flowers.

The complexity of the smell

First you can analyze the smell of the flower by trying to focus on it. If the latter has a too powerful and unilateral smell, chances are that it is synthetic terpene. A weed that smells strongly of lemon without any nuance or subtlety will have a great chance of being "terpenized".

Crush the flower

Secondly, you can open and crush the flower between your fingers to bring out its true smell. If the smell emanating from the inside of the flower is the same as that of the pouch or jar, it is a sign that the flower is natural since the terpenes added are on the outside of the flower and not on the inside. interior.

Consume the flower

Finally, a flower with added terpenes will tend to smell a lot more than it tastes. If your flower has a strong smell but no taste or a disgusting taste, there is a good chance that it has been "terpene-d"

If you are looking for flowers with powerful and natural aromas, come and visit our category CBD flower by clicking here.

Comments

Log in or register to post comments