What Are Cannabis Concentrates? a Definitive Guide
The cannabis plant is wonderfully diverse and is capable of producing a myriad of different products that society consumes for recreational, medicinal, and other health purposes.
This humble plant has come a long way since the days of its illegal reputation and today you can find cannabis concentrates in hundreds of products on the market. But what exactly are cannabis concentrates and how are they consumed? This blog breaks it all down for you.
Cannabis Concentrates Explained
Cannabis, in its many forms, is found at the click of a button nowadays. You can shop for your favorite cannabis products online and have them delivered to your home in a day or less — take a look here for more.
But how do concentrates differ from the better-known CBD products that so many people use, such as tinctures, creams, and edibles?
Quite simply, a cannabis concentrate is the purest, most potent form of cannabis product. These products generally contain high levels of THC, a compound not usually found in more popular CBD products. Generally, the effects are highly potent and not recommended for cannabis novices.
How Are Concentrates Made?
In order to make a high-quality cannabis concentrate, the process involves technical extraction to use only the most desirable and effective compounds of the plant. This includes mostly cannabinoids and terpenes. During the process, other excess materials and impurities are removed to leave behind a clean and pure concentrate product.
On an ounce-for-ounce basis, cannabis concentrate has the highest density of cannabinoids and terpenes compared to a natural cannabis flower. Bear in mind that the look and feel of cannabis concentrate does not necessarily affect its quality, effect, benefits, and flavor.
Why Use Cannabis Concentrates?
One of the main benefits of consuming cannabis concentrate is how quickly you can feel its effects. In other words, the onset time is minimal when compared to other forms of cannabis consumption.
The high levels of bioavailability mean that the effects you experience are longer-lasting, too. Generally, you can expect to feel these effects for one to three hours, depending on each person.
Cannabis Concentrate Textures
There are a few different forms of cannabis concentrate to choose from and the way in which they differ depends on texture. These unique textures are a result of important steps taken before or after the extraction process. Here are the three most popular:
1. Badder and Budder
The texture of badder and budder concentrate is similar to cake frosting. In order to create this texture, shatter-like concentrate is whipped under low and even temperatures to redistribute the air molecules. This creates volume and leaves behind this soft, creamy texture. It’s also similar to butter in color and texture.
The best way to consume this type of concentrate is by spreading it on a joint or dabbing it using a dab rig.
2. Crumble
This texture is a little more brittle than badder and budder — similar to the texture of honeycomb. A good way to consume this concentrate is by crumbling it into a joint or crumbling it over the top of your flower (the smoke bowl of your pipe).
3. Shatter
As the name suggests, this is a crystalline concentrate texture that shatters easily, much like hardened caramel or brittle glass. This texture is versatile because it can also be manipulated to create creamier, thicker textures.
Shatter can also have a snap and pull texture, similar to taffy. The best way to consume shatter concentrate is by using a dab rig, but it can also be manipulated with solvent extraction.
With Knowledge Comes Power
If you’re interested in trying cannabis concentrates for the first time — start off slow. You want to use just a little bit at a time until you find the best product and the right amount that works for you.
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