Hemp terpenes are a group of volatile hydrocarbon chemicals that the hemp plant makes. They give weed its unique smell and have been used by people for thousands of years in aromatherapy. The Food and Drug Administration says that terpenes are safe for humans to eat and are used in many foods and beauty items.
Are Terpenes the Same as Terpenoids?
Terpene and terpenoid are words that are often used interchangeably in the cannabis business. However, there are some important differences between the two. There is a real difference between terpenes and terpenoids: terpenes are hydrocarbons, while terpenoids have been oxidized. Think of it like a weed flower. THC is in the trichomes of the cannabis plant when it is raw. However, when the flower is dried and cured, some of the hemp terpenes change chemically and become terpenoids.
Terpenes in CBD
It’s not a surprise that cannabis plants have more than 100 different terpenes because they are found in many other plants as well. Even though these plants are where CBD comes from, not all CBD products will have a lot of terpenes. What are hemp terpenes benefits? It is said that they make CBD products stronger in a way known as “the entourage effect.”
Understanding the Entourage Effect
CBD is thought to have the entourage effect when it mixes with other parts of a hemp plant to make a product that is more complete than CBD by itself. One of these parts is a terpene, which has several qualities that work well with CBD. It’s like a plant version of the perfect team.