Ever wonder why you feel vastly different from various strains of cannabis, even if their THC and CBD content are the same? It’s the terpenes! As science continues to unveil the mysteries of cannabinoids, terpenes are gaining a lot of attention, and for good reason.
Since the early days of the cannabis industry, strains were primarily classified as Indica, Sativa, or Hybrid, labeled as such due to the common experiences of a body high, head high, or somewhere in between, respectively. Yet science is finding these classifications to be quite rudimentary and as terpenes are being analyzed further, what’s been revealed is that the role terpenes play within cannabis drive the experiences we humans receive, and that they’re critical components to the medicinal effects of cannabis.
Short refresher: Terpenes are the oily compounds within the cannabis trichomes that give the plant its smell and taste, similar to essential oils. (“Terpenoids” is often used interchangeably with “terpenes,” the main difference being that terpenes are hydrocarbons [carbon and hydrogen only] while terpenoids have been denatured by oxidation [chemical modification or drying and curing the flowers].
How would you like to be able to choose your ideal strain by identifying which terpenes are best for you? We’ll share with you how, so read on!
How to Dial in Your Ideal Cannabis Strain Based on its Terpene Profile
At this point in time, somewhere between 120 – 200 terpenes have been discovered within the cannabis plant and of these, a small handful have been researched. The findings are somewhat limited so far, but as research continues terpenes will become an even more precise way to identify your ideal strains.
For now, there is enough information to help guide you, and once you learn about the known potential therapeutic properties of each of the most common terpenes found in cannabis, you can start choosing strains based on how you’d like to feel.
Step 1: So, how do you want to feel? Determine this first so you know what you’re looking for as you learn about the most common terps. Here are some questions to help get you started:
- Are you looking to mellow out, yet stay clear headed and productive?
- Are you looking to relax your mind and body so you can fall asleep more easily?
- Are you looking for inflammation reduction and pain relief?
- Are you looking for something to energize and uplift your spirits?
- Are you looking to reduce anxiety?
- Are you looking for creative enhancement and focus?
Step 2: Determine your terpene preferences
A great place to start is reviewing a chart of the most common terpenes and where they reside on the spectrum of calming to energizing (see below). You can also perform an internet search of cannabis terpenes and gather information from various sources.
Step 3: Look up each terpene and learn about its known potential therapeutic benefits.
Step 4: Take note of the terpenes you’d like your cannabis to contain, then search for strains which contain these terpenes. Also identify terpenes you want to stay away from and keep a note of these in your wallet or commit them to memory.
Below are the most abundant terpenes in each of the following popular strains, with the highest amounts bolded.
Super Lemon Haze: terpinolene, caryophyllene, ocimene
Sour Diesel: caryophyllene, limonene, myrcene
Blue Dream: myrcene, pinene, caryophyllene
OG Kush: caryophyllene, limonene, myrcene, linalool, pinene, and humulene
Golden Goat: limonene, caryophyllene, myrcene, pinene
Here’s an example: Let’s say you are looking for help with relieving pain and inflammation while reducing anxiety. Caryophyllene reduces inflammation which lessens pain and limonene helps reduce anxiety. From the list above, OG Kush and Sour Diesel would be the top two strains for you to try.
A More Experiential Way To Discover The Best Terpenes for You
This way can be super fun. Simply head over to your favorite dispensary and purchase a gram of each of the following: Super Lemon Haze, Sour Diesel, Blue Dream, Golden Goat, OG Kush (or you can choose your own lineup)
Next, grab some index cards (or download/print this worksheet) and smoke each one on separate days or with enough time in between so they don’t influence one another, such as one in the morning and one in the evening. For each strain, after 10-15 minutes from consumption, take this super short quiz and keep your answers to refer to later:
- Now that you’re high, what are the top three things you feel like doing?
- Which would you rather be: comfy at home or out socializing (circle one)
- Do you enjoy this strain? Yes or No (circle one)
Once you have your answers for each strain, list out the terpenes in each. You can refer to the strain examples/main terpene profiles above or if you chose other strains, consult a resource such as Leafly.com. See what trends you find within the strains you enjoy and the ones you don’t, then learn more about those terpenes so they can help guide your future buying decisions.
Fun, right? With the endless combinations and ratios of terpenes, the future of highly intelligent cannabis cultivation lies here…and there’s so much more to be revealed as research continues. We’re only at the beginning.
Check out our first blog post regarding Terpenes here.
