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Terpenes 101

Terpenes

What are terpenes?

In addition to THC and CBD, the trichromes on a cannabis plant also produce terpenes, aromatic oils that contribute to each strain’s color, flavor and scent. While they won’t get you high, terpenes can be helpful in establishing certain frames of mind like focus or calm. Their effects are just like those from aromatherapy.

The combination of terpenes and cannabinoids on each plant interact to create a very niche, specific feeling known as the entourage effect. More and more labs are beginning to label products with their terpenoid profiles so that customers can have a better understanding of their effects. If you’re shopping for a specific experience, try selecting strains based on a combination of their CBD/THC dominance and terpenoid profile for best results.

What do terpenes do?

Terpenes don’t only occur in cannabis plants. They’re present in almost all plants and foods and are responsible for some of what you feel when you eat them. We’re going to highlight some of the most common terpene profiles below, and we’re pretty sure you’ll recognize at least a few of the properties we describe in some foods you eat every day.

Myrcene

Helps With:
R&R, pain relief

Aroma:
earthy, like cloves

Also Found In:
mangoes, broccoli and thyme

Limonene

Helps With:
quelling anxiety, improving mood

Aroma:
citrus, specifically oranges

Also Found In:
oranges, grapefruits and spearmint

Linalool

Helps With:
stress relief, sleep, improving mood

Aroma:
floral, spicy

Also Found In:
lavender, coriander and cilantro

Caryophyllene

Helps With:
pain, inflammation, anxiety

Aroma:
spicy

Also Found In:
cloves, pepper, hops

Pinene

Helps With:
inflammation, alertness, reducing anxiety

Aroma:
earthy, like a pine forest

Also Found In:
pine trees, basil, dill

Terpinolene

Helps With:
sleep

Aroma:
floral and herbal

Also Found In:
apples, nutmeg and lilacs

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