All You Need to Know About Cannabinoids, Flavonoids and Terpenes
September 8, 2020
The Lesser Known Benefits of Hemp and its Synergistic Components
First, we have the basics. Information that most of us who have done any prior research might involve Cannabidiol, or CBD for short, being extracted from the Cannabis Sativa L. variety of the Industrial Hemp plant and ending up in some way, shape or form available to you and I for consumption. We might have already discovered how CBD as a phytocannabinoid engages our Endocannabinoid System much in the same way our own endocannabinoids do, communicating with receptors found throughout all major physiological systems in our body. But what do we know about the role of things called, Cannabinoids, Terpenes and Flavonoids? What are their benefits and what exactly do they have to do with Cannabidiol (CBD) and Hemp?
Today, be prepared to learn something new!
What are Cannabinoids?
Cannabinoids are important phytocompounds found in the Cannabis Sativa variety of the Hemp plant. CBD, more technically referred to as Cannabidiol, is actually 1 of 113 Cannabinoids currently identified. CBD is one of the most widely researched Cannabinoids, along with THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) which is present in Industrial Hemp only negligibly. Cannabinoids account for up to 40% of the plant’s extract meaning their benefits are available to you and I in abundance.
What are the Benefits of Cannabinoids?
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CBD and other lesser Cannabinoids in their natural state have not been “activated”. They exist in their raw form as acids and require heat treatment in order to make their beneficial properties accessible. The process of compound neutralization that Cannabinoids undergo is called decarboxylation. It is an essential step in converting Cannabidiol and other useful Cannabinoids into usable nutrients. The most important scientifically proven benefit that has been observed in terms of Cannabinoids are their ability to engage CB1 And CB2 receptors within the biological system called the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). The ECS is thought to play a regulatory role in a variety of physiological processing including appetite, mood, memory, pain-sensation, sensitivity, inflammation, insulin, and fat and energy metabolism.
What are Flavonoids?
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Flavonoids are non-cannabinoid phytonutrients known as phenolic compounds responsible for the colour of the hemp itself. They occur naturally in fruits, vegetables, grains, plant matter, tea and wine and can be found mostly in the leaves and flowers of Cannabis Sativa. So long as no other artificial ingredients have been added, High Quality CBD Oil yielded from the extracted Hemp should be amber-gold to dark brown in colour. You can imagine a visual guide of somewhere between high-grade honey and molasses. Depending on the growing conditions and extraction method utilised by the manufacturer, the resulting colour may vary. You will generally see darker colours in whole-plant, or Full Spectrum Hemp Extract.
What are the Benefits of Flavonoids?
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A well-known dietary anecdote states ‘Eat the Rainbow.’ But why? It’s because the concept of a well-balanced and varied diet including an array of colourful fruits and vegetables is best for your health. But that’s not the only reason. Turns out flavonoids are partly responsible, and their benefits go beyond their ability to colour our natural world. Flavonoids have demonstrated the ability to protect human enzyme systems and modulate the function of key cellular enzymes, not to mention play a vital role in enacting a cooperative, synergistic occurrence in terms of CBD called The Entourage Effect.
What are Terpenes?
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Cannabis Terpenes belong to a class of organic compounds whose essential oil excretions are responsible for fragrance and flavour. Terpenes have evolved in nature to repel predators with strong, repulsive odours and attract pollinators with alluring, pleasant scents. Over 100 types of terpenes have been identified in cannabis sativa, all of which contribute unique beneficial attributes to the plant. In the Industrial Hemp from which your CBD is extracted, terpenes work along the lines of aromatherapy triggering the most primal and underestimated of our senses- smell. After all, animals use their sense of smell for everything, yet we humans have evolved to rely heavily on the remaining four. But just how does the aroma of your CBD Oil spell benefits?
What are the Benefits of Terpenes?
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Our sense of smell is most closely linked to memory. It is also a built-in danger mechanism and aversion trigger allowing us to smell smoke before seeing a fire or smell rotting material before alerting us to our impending approach. So, if our CBD Oil appeals to us and our sense of smell, without us even knowing it, a neuropathway has encouraged the creation of a strong and valuable subconscious connection. More importantly, according to Neuropharmacologist Dr. Katrina Weston-Green,
“Terpenes undertake innumerable structural and functional roles in most life forms on the planet including cholesterols for structural and signalling components of cell membranes, retinal in the eye for vision and carotenoids in photosynthesis.”
Not to mention their ability to enhance the value of certain cannabinoids, including CBD, which is known by a very specific name…
What is the Entourage Effect?
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The Entourage Effect is a term used to describe a scientifically postulated idea that consuming Cannabidiol derived products containing Full Spectrum CBD where cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenes remain intact, rather than isolated, allows for a type of synergy to occur. This synergy allows for each of these individual phytocompounds when ingested together to aid in the delivery of and amplify the efficacy of one another, in essence, working together much like a symphony.
Conclusion
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Cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenes exist in abundance in your Premium Full Spectrum Hemp Extract. Though your awareness of them might be new, their synergistic collaboration has been silently heightening the effects of your favourite CBD Products all along. The discovery of these lesser known, yet not lesser valued, Hemp constituents make CBD even more beneficial to the body than we had originally thought.
