Have you ever wondered why some strains of cannabis have citric aromas, with a more specific hint of lemon? Cannabis is an age-old plant with a particularly complex aroma and flavor, containing a larger amount of terpenes compared to other plants, with hard to decipher aromas and notes.
There are strains that have a fuel-like aroma, which are classified into the “Diesel” family – here you can find incredibly well-known strains such as OG Kush.
On the other hand, there are strains that taste of dessert, with sweet and creamy hints like Girl Scout Cookies, which also have earthy tones.
Within these cannabis flavor subgenres, some strains can produce a lemony flavor. We’re talking about strains such as Nina Limone, Super Lemon Haze, Amnesia, Gipsy Haze or Lemon Cookies. This is because of a terpene called Limonene, among others, which gives these plants citric notes similar to lemon.
What are Limonene’s Properties?
Adding lemon to your diet can have its benefits, which is why many recipes call for it and some people even drink it diluted in water for breakfast. Some reasons to begin adding lemon to your diet are:
- It increases your natural defenses: lemon is a large source of vitamin C, which makes it great for the winter time in order to prevent getting a cold or the flu.
- It’s a diuretic: it helps to get rid of toxins in the body.
- Improves digestion and fights stomach acid.
- Beneficial for the skin: due to its high vitamin C count, lemon can help fight early signs of age in the skin, helping to get rid of or reduce wrinkles and marks.
- Improved breathing: hot tea with lemon can reduce coughing and be useful when it comes to treating breathing issues and asthma.
The Link Between Cannabis and Lemon
As we were saying above, the terpene Limonene is the molecule that lemon and cannabis plants have in common, as its one of the cannabis plants’ main terpenes.
Limonene has multiple beneficial properties that can be found in lemon and cannabis:
- It promotes focus, and is a natural energetic: various studies suggest that limonene can contribute to improving the mood and increasing activity, especially in those that have low endocrine hormone levels.
- It’s a natural anti-fungal product: limonene stops the spread of certain fungi.
- Anxiolytic: contrary to what you may think, the fact that limonene is energizing doesn’t mean that it isn’t anxiolytic. In fact, various studies have shown that it can be a powerful ally when it comes to fighting episodes of stress and anxiety.
- Anti-inflammatory
- Strengthens the immune system.
- Anti-depressant: many studies confirm that limonene has a lot of potential when it comes to treating patients with depressive episodes or pathologies. It seems that this terpene has the capacity to reset the balance of certain functions in the body which can be affected when under stress, repairing in a way immune-depressive episodes. According to one study, citric fragrances can restore immunosuppression caused by stress, which suggest that it can have a good effect when it comes to restoring the homeostatic balance. It’s thought that neuroendocrine and immune disfunctions are associated with psychosomatic or psychiatric disorders, during the study 12 patients with depression were treated with stimulation via aromatherapy. Citric fragrances containing limonene and other terpenes was used with the depressed subjects and the results indicated that after the treatment they were able to significantly reduce their dose of normal medication. The treatment using citric fragrances normalized neuroendocrine hormone levels and immune functions, and was a lot more efficient than antidepressants.
- Anti-carcinogenic: certain studies state that Limonene could be useful in fighting cancer. In a clinical study done with human patients, this terpene was proven to have the capacity to reduce the size of cancerous breast tumors in different patients. On the other hand, another study points towards a trial dose of Limonene for 2 to 6 weeks inhibiting a protein that accelerates breast cancer growth. Another study done using rats showed Limonene stopping the growth of cancerous cells in the lungs as well as the growth of other tumors. This study indicates that this terpene could even cause the death of cancerous cells.
How to Benefit from Limonene’s Properties
Now that you know more about Limonene, you know that it can be found in both lemon and cannabis flowers – you’re probably wondering how you can consume it to make the most of its properties.
You have a lot of options! You can simply add in lemon juice to your dishes, such as salads, juices, or winter soups. You can also benefit from Limonene using aromatherapy, inhaling certain essential oils containing limonene.
Another possible way would be vaping e liquids with cannabis terpene profiles high in Limonene. Plus, these e-liquids allow you to benefit from the properties of other terpenes found in cannabis such as Linalool or Myrcene, for example. You can also combine it with the therapeutic effects of CBD.
What Strains are Rich in Limonene?
If you decide to vape e-liquids rich in limonene, you’ll probably want to know what options you have; thanks to breeding processes over the years, there are plenty of different options and flavors available on the market:
- Amnesia: this is one of the pillars of the modern cannabis hybrid market. A Dutch treasure that sells big at coffee shops thanks to its high flying effect and high yields. The aroma and flavor produced by this legendary strain are now available in e-liquids, with and without CBD. A strain high in Limonene, allowing you to benefit from its properties while you enjoy different lemon and lime tones enhanced with earthy, sweet and incensed notes characteristic to this strain.
- Super Lemon Haze: as its name suggests, this strain is an exotic combination of “Haze” type strains, where you can clearly distinguish the different marked notes of lemon, lime, grapefruit and spices. This delicious terpene profile is also available in CBD e-liquid format, a combination that allows you to benefit from the entourage effect; this is an enhancement in effect which takes place when certain cannabinoids are consumed alongside terpene profiles.
Now that you know that lemon and cannabis have in common, you know a bit more about how you can make the most of nature’s power. It seems that this terpene has a lot to offer, whether it’s in your day to day with healthier habits, or in the field of science and medicine. We’ll keep doing our part to let you know about the benefits of terpenes, uniting innovation and nature for a more enriching, healthier way of life.
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Cali Terpenes – @caliterpenes
