Cannabis concentrates have come a long way from their dangerous homemade BHO roots. Today, you can find some of the most flavorful extracts you’ve ever tried. Most consumers often go straight for the concentrates with the highest cannabinoid potency, whether its cannabidiol (CBD) or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). If you’re looking for the newest and most flavorful dabbing experience of your life, consider giving high-terpene full-spectrum extracts (HTFSE) a try. These potent and pungent concentrates are connoisseur-approved.
What is HTFSE?
High-Terpene Full-Spectrum Extracts — or HTFSE — may not be terms that rolls off the tongue, but these innovative and aromatic new concentrate types are taking the dabbing market by storm. In order to understand what HTFSE are, you must first understand what full-spectrum extracts are. Full-spectrum extracts contain a complete range of the marijuana strain’s original and medically-applicable chemical compounds such as cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids.
Full-spectrum extracts consist of two parts: HTFSE and high-cannabinoid full-spectrum extracts (HCFSE). HCFSE contain a high concentration of cannabinoids, but are lacking in terpene levels and aroma. Furthermore, HCFSE has a gritty and diamond-like consistency when extracted and separated alongside HTFSE. HTFSE contains higher-than-normal levels of terpenes and has a liquid and sauce-like consistency, which can be difficult to handle. HTFSE can contain about 50 percent cannabinoids and anywhere from 13 to 40 percent terpenes.
It’s all about the trichomes
When extracting cannabis compounds from the plant, the main goal is to reap all of the available trichome glands without the undesirable plant matter that can taste harsh when dabbed. Concentrates that are darker in color may contain this unwanted plant material. Trichomes, however, are tiny botanical outgrowths that contain the strain’s unique cannabinoids, which include THC, CBD and other minor cannabinoids such as CBG, CBC and CBN. These minor cannabinoids also provide health benefits.
A full-spectrum extract takes out all of the cannabinoids including inactive compounds such as THCA and CBDA. These are the acidic precursors to their parent compounds, THC and CBD, respectively. THCA can be activated through decarboxylation, which can occur during cooking, dabbing, or smoking extracts. Capturing this diverse set of compounds is crucial to producing solid HTFSE.
How is HTFSE made?
HTFSE start off with high-quality cured, fresh or flash-frozen cannabis buds, which contain the highest levels of terpenes in the plant’s life cycle. Much of the HCFSE use harsh extraction processes that degrade terpenes in the plant. Because terpenes have lower boiling points than most cannabinoids, they are the first to degrade in high-temperature and pressure extraction equipment.
Modern-day manufacturers have perfected their solvent-based and closed-loop extraction processes to retain as much of the terpenes as possible. Extraction companies can use a variety of solvents such as butane, propane, or carbon dioxide to dissolve chemical compounds in the raw material. State-of-the-art extraction equipment utilizes low-temperatures to capture the fragile and aromatic compounds.
After extraction, the concentrate is left to naturally separate into its individual components, HTFSE and HCFSE. After the desired separation and cannabinoid crystal formation occurs, the solutions are purged to remove any leftover solvents. HTFSE may contain fewer cannabinoids than HCFSE, but users report a more complex and balanced experience compared to dabbing HCFSE.
HTFSE are flavorful and potent
Given that HTFSE contains fewer cannabinoids than HCFSE, why would anyone opt for terpene-rich extracts? Cannabis researchers believe that the entire range of cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenes have a synergistic experience on the body’s endocannabinoid system. Extracts such as distillates tout high-cannabinoid levels, but lack the nuance of HTFSE.
Chemical compounds in cannabis have an “entourage effect” that can provide users with a new and possibly better experience. HTFSE retains the strain’s unique terpene composition, so that you can enjoy an unparalleled flavor and effect. Even with a lower cannabinoid potency, HTFSE may provide benefits to those who aren’t looking to experience intense psychoactive effects.
Terpenes’ synergistic effects
Cannabis research suggests that major and minor cannabinoids can have therapeutic effects on many medical conditions. Some studies have also indicated that terpenes have unique medicinal properties. For instance, a 2011 report published in the British Journal of Pharmacology discussed the health benefits of the plant kingdom’s terpenoids.
Cannabis shares terpenes with many other plants. For example, beta-caryophyllene is a common terpene found in cannabis, oregano and black pepper. It’s been shown to provide relief to gastrointestinal issues. The 2011 report discussed how interactions between cannabinoids and terpenes “could produce synergy with respect to treatment of pain, inflammation, depression, anxiety, addiction, epilepsy, cancer, fungal and bacterial infections.”
Keep in mind, terpene profiles vary from strain to strain. One strain might have high myrcene levels, while another may be rich in limonene, which is known for its citric bite. Dabbing HTFSE can be considered similar to eating whole fruits, while consuming a cannabinoid isolate would be more like consuming a single vitamin. Each method offers unique advantages and disadvantages, but HTFSE gives users the ability to experience the entire essence of a strain and its effects.
Using HTFSE
HTFSE can be consumed through dabbing for the best results. Consumers can use desktop or portable dab equipment to decarboxylate the compounds in the “sauce.” Dabbing ensure you can control the temperature and avoid ruining perfectly good terpenes in the extract. If smoked in a bowl or joint, the terpenes may end up combusting and tasting harsh. When baking into edibles, HTFSE may lose terpenes through the high-temperature cooking processes. Dabbing with tools like eNails that allow precise temperature control can preserve the terpenes in your HTFSE.
HTFSE is growing in popularity due to growing research that suggests that full-spectrum products may be more effective than distillates or isolates in some cases. Just watch out for HTFSE that’s just distillate and added terpenes. If you manage to get your hands on some pungent and reliable HTFSE, you’ll experience new and layered effects that can benefit you more than traditional HCFSE.
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