Terpenes, Terpenoids and Flavonoids — What Cannabis Aroma Is Made Of.

A plant’s aroma and flavor are created by terpenes, flavonoids and a range of other compounds. Understanding how they are built and why they are lost solves the central mystery: why fresh flowers smell vivid, while the aroma fades after drying.

Terpenes and their volatility.

Terpenes are aromatic molecules. The most volatile of them are monoterpenes, and they are exactly what you smell first when sniffing fresh flowers. An important subtlety: the boiling point is not the temperature at which evaporation begins. Terpenes evaporate actively above +15 °C, and extremely actively near the boiling point. Move the slider: you can see what is lost first when overheated.

Terpenes vs. terpenoids.

Terpenes on their own are oily, contain no water, and drying does not destroy them directly. The main enemy is oxidation on contact with air. This is precisely what turns terpenes into terpenoids: for example, citrusy limonene oxidizes into carveol with a herbaceous aroma. Terpenoids smell weaker and different. Light and heat accelerate the degradation.

Flavonoids: flavor, color and benefits.

• They barely smell, yet strongly influence the release of volatile substances (the smell of freshly cut grass is them).
• They are water-soluble — which means they evaporate during drying and are among the first to be lost.
• They provide flavor and pigmentation: naringin gives a slightly bitter grapefruit note; the pigmentation is often blue and purple.

Medicinal properties of flavonoids

Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances. The French paradox (the benefits of red wine) is based precisely on their properties: strengthening blood vessels and lowering blood pressure, slowing the growth of tumor cells, and a neuroprotective effect.