Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and for those of us who are chomping at the bit to dive into the feast, cannabis may help make the experience even better. When you have a serious case of the munchies, there’s nothing better than a holiday feast. While many strains of cannabis are known for inducing the munchies, not all cannabis makes you hungry. The sensation of hunger comes from the Entourage Effect of the terpenes and cannabinoids working together. When doing so, they might produce a unique effect that makes your stomach growl!
The team at Melee Dose are unofficial pros at scarfing down sizable meals, especially under the influence of the right cannabis. Terpenes are the true key to understanding how the munchies activate. Once you understand the best terpenes for activating the munchies, you’ll see how certain strains get you rearing to eat like a cow at the trough. Melee Dose products make it easy to understand which terpenes you’re dealing with since we only use strain-specific live resin oil. Shop online with us to see how powerful hemp THC plus live resin might be with the right dose.
Keep reading to learn more about the real terpenes that matter. This guide is for any daily smoker or casual cannabis user who is looking to optimize their holiday experience. When there’s a table full of food to devour, you might want to focus on these top four terps. Each of these is known to contribute to some serious hunger activation.
The Science Behind Terpenes & The Munchies
To first understand how terpenes play a part in appetite stimulation, you need to understand everything they influence. These aromatic compounds not only influence flavor and aroma, but also appetite and mood. All mammals possess an Endocannabinoid System (ECS,) which contains neurotransmitters in the brain and throughout the body that can regulate different bodily functions.
Certain terpenes in tandem with cannabinoids like THC, CBD, and more may affect hormones and these neurotransmitters in a way that stimulates hunger and cravings. With Thanksgiving well on the way, it’s important to be able to come to dinner hungry. Understanding which terpenes boost your appetite can make the dining experience 10x more enjoyable and rewarding.
Top Terpenes for The Munchies
Myrcene: The Relaxing Hunger Inducer
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- Flavor/Aroma: Musky, floral, earthy, with hints of clove.
- Appetite Effects: Myrcene may greatly enhance hunger by interacting with THC to induce the classic “munchies” effect.
- Best Strains: Blue Dream, Granddaddy Purple, Grape Ape.
- Why It’s Perfect for Thanksgiving: Myrcene-dominant strains in high doses may create a relaxing “couch-lock” effect that’s great for easing into a big meal.
Limonene: The Citrus Mood Booster
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- Flavor/Aroma: Fresh, citrusy, like lemons and tart oranges.
- Appetite Effects: Known to boost dopamine and serotonin, making users feel uplifted, energetic, and often even hungrier.
- Best Strains: Tangie, Durban Poison, Lemon Cherry Gelato.
- Holiday Connection: For a potentially lively and joyful Thanksgiving, limonene-rich strains may help improve mood and encourage socializing while simultaneously enhancing appetite.
Caryophyllene: The Spicy Metabolism Modulator
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- Flavor/Aroma: Peppery, spicy, similar to black pepper or cloves.
- Appetite Effects: Known to influence appetite by interacting with CB2 receptors, which can regulate metabolic processes and energy balance.
- Best Strains: GSC, Chemdawg, Bubba Kush.
- Thanksgiving Perks: Caryophyllene’s appetite-enhancing and metabolism-regulating qualities make it ideal for anyone who wants a boost without going overboard.
Linalool: The Calming Appetite Enhancer
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- Flavor/Aroma: Floral and lavender-like.
- Appetite Effects: Known to stimulate ghrelin, the “hunger hormone,” and modulate digestion.
- Best Strains: Amnesia Haze, Lavender Kush, LA Confidential.
- Holiday Relevance: For those who want to enjoy a peaceful Thanksgiving feast, linalool-rich strains can promote relaxation while enhancing appetite.
Avoid Humulene: The Appetite Suppressor
Humulene is your worst enemy when it comes to expanding your hunger. The munchies might become a distant memory once you consume massive quantities of humulene-rich cannabis. This earthy, woody, and spicy terpene often works in tandem with THCV to potentially reduce hunger dramatically. A few strains that are rich in humulene include Headband, Sour Diesel, and Super Lemon Haze. Be careful of these powerful, and humulene-dominant strains. If you’re looking to indulge, consider smoking these after a big meal, or at the beginning of the day to get sh*t done.
Know Your Limits!
Just because you now understand the best terpenes for activating the munchies doesn’t mean you should engorge yourself into a hospital bed. While increasing your appetite with cannabis may make the meal more enjoyable, be mindful of dosing. You don’t need to “green out” at the Thanksgiving dinner table with the entire family present. If you’re able to keep it together, you might even be able to entice new family members into trying an edible after dinner. That way, maybe next year, there’s an option to infuse a couple of the family meals.
Conclusion
There’s no denying that holiday dinners are great, but what might make them even better is the unique expressions of certain cannabis strains. The munchies have never been more desirable than at the dinner table with family, friends, and loved ones. We hope you’re able to go forth now and find strains rich in these particular terpenes so you can potentially enhance your holiday experience. Experiment with different strains to see which works best for you before the holidaze hit!
And never forget! Melee Dose produces the best hemp-derived THC products available online that use real live resin terpenes. We feature strains like Wedding Cake, Zkittlez, and Mandarin Cookies so you can easily identify the top terpenes. This way, you can duck off to rip one of our live resin vapes before heading back into the feast. Or, round up the cousins for “a walk” to go blaze a THCa pre-roll or try our new 1g 510 thread vapes on low temps.
Happy holidays from all of us at Melee Dose. We hope you’re able to enjoy any and all feasts that are put in front of you this year. What’s more, we also hope you have the best cannabis strains handy to potentially make the meal that much better.
