What's in Wana's Terpene Blends?
Terpenes: either you love them, or you don’t know what they are yet.
If you fall into the latter camp, don’t worry. We’ve written extensively about the crucial little compounds that give plants (including cannabis) their unique taste, smell, and effects. Check out this earlier article for a crash course, including the truth behind some common terpene misconceptions.
But if you’re already a terp aficionado, you may have some more specific questions, such as:
- Can terpenes really change how a distillate edible will make you feel?
- What makes Wana’s terpene blends so special?
- WHICH terpenes does Wana actually use?
Knowledge is power, and terpenes are terrific, so we’re here to demystify them as much as possible... one question at a time.
1. Do Terps Make a Difference in Edibles?
Short answer: We very strongly believe so. And we’re basing that belief on as much of the existing research as we can get our hands on.
Longer answer: Because of federal regs that make peer-reviewed cannabis studies difficult, there’s been limited research as to how terpenes affect your body when ingested via cannabis. That said, there have been numerous peer-reviewed studies about how terps affect you when ingested via other means… and we’ve got no reason to believe terps would behave any differently in edibles than they would in orally administered supplements.
THIS STUDY, for example, demonstrates the presence of terpenes in the blood after oral administration of Mastiha (a Mediterranean plant that produces terpene-rich resins).
THIS ONE suggests that the terpene linalool has a clinical impact on lessening anxiety when orally ingested.
And THIS ONE orally administered the terpene citral to lab rats. It found 10% of the original terp dose in the rats’ blood after ingestion. Which may not seem like much, but it’s actually about the same amount you’d see from orally ingesting cannabinoids like THC.
Additionally, Wana’s partners at Niva Labs recently helped us conduct an experiment to make sure our cooking process was preserving all the precious terpenes we enhance our gummies with. We took samples of our gummie mixture every 2 minutes as it cooked, from the moment the terps were added until after the gummies were cooled and ready to eat. Niva's analysis found NO meaningful degradation of terps – they were present in the same concentration and ratios at the end as they were at the start. Wana is also leading the charge on a series of peer-reviewed animal-model studies to measure the safety and bioavailability of terpenes, which will hopefully lay the groundwork for future studies in humans.
Despite these positive indicators, some skeptics still don’t believe that orally ingested terps live up to the hype. But all this promising early research (plus the countless anecdotal experiences our customers have shared with us with us) is enough to keep Wana investing in state-of-the-art terpene tech.
Which brings us to question number 2...
2. What Makes Wana’s Terpene Blends So Special?
Wana’s distillate gummies come in three proprietary blends, each containing more than 30 unique terpenes in various formulations. This in itself sets us apart, as most competing companies use only five or six of the most commonly occurring terps.
But we were also highly intentional about which terpenes we added to which blends. Years ago, we partnered with a leading terpene research company called Abstrax. Together, we interviewed some of California’s most knowledgeable budtenders about their favorite indica, sativa, and hybrid cultivars (or strains of cannabis).
Abstrax then analyzed the terpene profiles of those cultivars and used their findings to build three class-specific blends based on their findings. The result: Wana products come in relaxing indica, uplifting sativa, and balanced hybrid formulations.
That’s Wana’s state-of-the-art process for adding terpenes to distillate gummies. Of course, we also make solventless Wana Spectrum Live Rosin Gummies, which don’t require the same kind of terpene analysis. Because live rosin is made from fresh frozen cannabis, the active terpenes and other compounds from the original cultivars are kept intact and delivered in the same ratios found in nature. All we had to do was find the right flavors to complement their natural terp-y taste.
3. Which Terpenes Does Wana Actually Use?
This is an easy one! We can’t give away ALL our trade secrets, so we won’t share all 30 of them or the exact ratios in which they occur. But check out the images below for the big picture.
Bottom line: we love terps and want our customers to experience all the nuance they can bring to an edibles experience. If you’ve got more questions, feel free to ask using the chat feature on our homepage, or just DM us on Instagram or Twitter through the handle @wanabrands.
We promise, we’re always ready to talk terpenes.
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