There is a lot to learn when it comes to cannabinoids and our endocannabinoid system! Let’s face it, they didn’t teach us this in high school health class! Hopefully our younger generations will have the endocannabinoid system added to their health courses, but until then, we all need to know about this exciting topic! And that is what our blog is here to do, help us wrap our head around a system in our body that we never knew we had. Our Endocannabinoid System that is perfectly designed to interact with endocannabinoids (cannabinoids produced by our body), phytocannabinoids (plant based cannabinoids), flavonoids and terpenes.
For starters, lets have a pop quiz and see who has been studying!
Q. What is it called when our endocannabinoid system interacts with multiple plant based cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenes all at once?
A. The Entourage Effect
All right! Some of you have been studying!! It is call the Entourage Effect! Now let’s dig a little deeper and have this concept explained by our Cannabis Experts at Canvas Boutique and Dispensary.
CBD is one of about 140 cannabinoids found in industrial hemp strains of the Cannabis plant.
Full-spectrum CBD oil contains more than just CBD. It includes different cannabinoids as well as terpenes and flavonoids that include trace amounts of THC. This combination creates an “entourage effect” naturally. All these compounds come together to benefit and balance our bodies different systems, activating the CBD for the best efficacy from person to person, working with our bodies own receptors to feel balanced. The combination of Cannabinoids in Full spectrum CBD work together in a chemical reaction. Researchers have coined this The Entourage Effect.
What are Terpenes?
Terpenes are the compounds in plants that are responsible for the way the plant smells! These days, everyone knows about essential oils and the benefits of aromatherapy. Well, what you are smelling is the terpenes of the plant collected in the essential oil after a distillation process. Just like Lavender, cannabis has essential oils as well and each variety has a different ratio of terpenes that provide the distinct smell.
According to Medical News Today, there is good evidence that terpenes have direct physiological effects on the body. Linalool and Limonene are examples of terpenes in cannabis that are shown to support the body.
You can learn more about Terpenes and Cannabis by reading the medical research published by the National Institute of Health. Learn More!
What are Flavonoids?
Flavonoids are a group of plant compounds found in many fruit and vegetables, as well as chocolate, wine, tea and cannabis. The primary function of flavonoids is to provide color to pigmentation but when consumed by humans flavonoids act as antioxidants.
According to News Medical Life Sciences, flavonoids are a group of plant compounds or metabolites thought to provide health benefits through cell signaling pathways and antioxidant effects. These molecules are found in a variety of fruits and vegetables including cannabis and hemp!
You can learn more about Flavonoids and Cannabis in a medical research study published by the National Institute of Health. Learn More!
What is a great example of a full spectrum product at the CANVAS Dispensary?
All of the products we sell at Canvas are full spectrum containing multiple cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids that occur naturally in the Hemp plant. Since our doors opened we had a strict policy that we would never sell tinctures made from CBD Isolates. There were (and are!) so many brands selling these inferior Isolates to customers who were unaware about the Entourage Effect and that this Effect would not happen in their body when taking a CBD isolate. Now this does not mean that CBD alone is not useful. Epilepsy studies have been conducted on CBD isolate, and found that CBD isolates can support the reduction of seizures. Studies like this are beneficial because it shows us how specific cannabinoid interact with viruses, cancer cells, and other biological systems in the human body.
We have an abundance of amazing full spectrum products at Canvas including teas, gummies, chocolates, topicals and oral oils. From the beginning, NuLeaf was always our favorite; they do a sub and supercritical extraction to pull some of the highest levels of minor cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes. Today, hemp farms near us in Missouri are established and making super high-quality extractions. We now can also rely on local brands like R and R Farms 1904, for premium, organic, hemp extracts that are loaded with optimal cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes. Who to choose? Potency tests are always the answer! Just ask our staff of Cannabinoid Experts to compare potency tests of brands for you, so that you can find the brand that will be most optimal for success on your cannabinoid journey.
Can you still get the “Entourage Effect” without consuming THC?
Absolutely! Not everyone can use or wants to use even the small amounts of THC that are present in full-spectrum hemp extracts. Using products with THC can cause someone to fail a drug test and high doses of full-spectrum CBD can cause one to become tired. Some people prefer to use Broad Spectrum during the day or while at work, and then for after work they choose to use full-spectrum. For these reasons, companies have specialized in removing the THC from hemp extractions creating what is known as Broad Spectrum extracts. Broad-spectrum products are made by removing THC molecule from a full spectrum extract. Due to compounds having different molecular weights, they can be spun out of a formula in a lab setting. Once the THC is removed you have an extract that still contains all of the minor cannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenes, and CBD and therefore will produce the Entourage Effect. .
What is a a great example of a Broad Spectrum product at CANVAS?
One of our favorite broad spectrum products is Myriam’s THC-Free CBD 750 MG. This product is best for people who are picky about taste! Myriam’s products are available in a wonderful Vanilla and has mildest hemp flavor of all the products we have ever tried at CANVAS. This is a great product for kids or loved ones that need to be convinced it is going to taste good prior to opening their mouth. Myriam’s makes dosing an easy too!. Each ML or dropper is a hearty 25mg dose. A half dose is just as easy to take!
People who are a bit more adventurous when it comes to hemp products but still choose to use Broad Spectrum often select products from another brand we carry at CANVAS, Hawaiians Choice. Hawaiians Choice infuses additional terpenes that tailor the Entourage Effect for different results.
For example, the Relax Formula has the following terpenes:
Terpinolene
Categories: Calming, Sleep.
Flavor: A fresh, herbal terpene that exudes a sweet and piney aroma with hints of citrus.
Myrcene
Categories: Calming, Inflammation, Pain, Sleep, Uplifting.
Flavor: An earthy, citrusy terpene with an aroma suggestive of hops, cloves, and tropical fruits.
Linalool
Categories: Calming, Inflammation, Pain, Sleep, Uplifting.
Flavor: A floral terpene with spicy overtones and an aroma reminiscent of lavender and lily of the valley.
Where can I find Broad Spectrum Products when shopping online with CANVAS?
Shop our THC-Free Category to find all of our Broad Spectrum Products. Clink this link to see the category!