When people talk about CBD, they often mention terpenes and flavonoids. Terpenes and flavonoids actually play an important role in the overall profile of hemp-derived products.
If you have ever done any research around CBD oil, you will have heard of the terms ‘full spectrum CBD oil, ‘broad spectrum CBD oil’ or ‘CBD isolates’. These are the three types of CBD that you can typically buy. The difference between them being the ‘purity’ of the CBD.
Full spectrum CBD is giving you not only CBD, but all the other compounds in the hemp plant too! This includes cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids.
Much scientific research has been carried out on the cannabinoid CBD. Recently, scientist have begun spending more time researching the other cannabinoids in the hemp plant, as well as the terpenes and flavonoids that are found in the hemp plant. Many scientists have carried out studies emphasising the importance of these other compounds in the hemp plant, rather than just CBD on its own.
We all recognise that distinctive smell which oozes from the hemp plant when it is being grown and harvested. This is down to the unique blend of terpenes and flavonoids which are present in the plant. However, terpenes and flavonoids also have other uses and properties beyond being scent-bearing compounds.
Terpenes
One of the major jobs of the terpenes in a plant is to protect it from dangerous threats such as certain insects, as well as to attract pollinating insects. They are also known as `aromatic metabolites’ due to the fact that they use their aromatic properties to carry out this function.
Most hemp plants have over 100 terpenes in different concentrations which can be significantly beneficial to the environment that the plant is in. Terpenes allows us to smell the earthy goodness of the whole hemp plant within our CBD products.
Flavonoids
Flavonoids are almost always mentioned in the same breath as terpenes, but they are much less understood than them. It is thought that flavonoids make up around 10% of all the compounds which are found in the hemp plant.
Flavonoids are credited with giving a plant its pigment as well as helping to protect it from harmful UV rays. They are also instrumental in giving the hemp plant its unique aroma and flavour allowing us to taste the produce of CBD from the whole hemp plant.
Click here to read more scientific research on Terpenes & Flavonoids.