If you live in a legal state, you can probably find weed in almost every flavor. Cookies and Cream, Cinnamon Swirl, any flavor you can dream up, chance are you can find a cape or concentrate of the same flavor. But still, no matter how creative producers get with the taste palettes, the flavor that consistently pop off, win over the masses and get us the highest, are usually fruit flavaors.
Grape, watermelon, apple, and pineapple are among the most popular; and any way you break it down, it’s clear that when it comes to cannabis, fruity flavors reign supreme. Let’s dig into the special relationship between fruit and weed to figure out just why cannabis and fruit flavors pair so well, and some recommendations for the best cannabis fruit strains and pairings.
Why Do Cannabis and Fruit Flavors Taste So Good Together?
There’s no denying that cannabis that has fruit flavors and aroma are just downright better than cannabis that does not. In order for us to understand why these two pair so well together, we have to take a look at what they have in common: terpenes!
It might surprise you to know that cannabis plants aren’t the only plants that contain terpenes. In fact, all plants contain it. Terpenes are what gives plants its rich aroma and taste profile and these profiles vary on the type of plant.
Some of the terpenes many of us know, like Linalool, Pinene, and Limonene are also found in abundance in fruit. So right from the start, the similarities in the aromatic and flavor profiles of cannabis and fruit help them to complement each other. But, it turns out terps do much more to make our bud smell good.
Though more research is needed, it’s believed that many compounds in both cannabis and hemp create synergistic effects, called the entourage effect. This means that while THC alone will get you high, all the other compounds such as CBD, CBN, terpenes, and more, work together to create effects in our body that many people feel are more beneficial than when we consume the THC on its own. Several people believe the additional terpenes from fruity strains enhance these synergistic effects, making the experience that much more enjoyable on more than just the smell and taste aspects.
Taste the Difference
The similarities in a strain’s aromatic profile also means the flavors of fruit and the cannabis/hemp strains naturally complement each other to create a more full-bodied flavor profile. That’s why grape, citrus, and other fruity strains always seem to taste much better than other strains; its aromatic profiles are stronger because of the added terpenes. This enhanced aroma makes these strains naturally more attractive to cannabis users, as smell is one of the key factors many people rely on when choosing their products.
Super sweet dessert-inspired flavors are great too, and many people love them. But when compared to fruit-centric flavors, it’s no surprise why the latter strains often outsell the former strains.
Sugary-flavored products are typically sweetened with artificial food-grade flavonoids, which are safe for us to consume, but aren’t as natural as the flavor compounds found in fruit blends.
The artificial sweeteners don’t taste bad, they just don’t taste as fresh and delicious as something naturally sweetened by terpenes. It’s like comparing your favorite pastry with your favorite fruit – both are good, but they’re different types of food, and one can’t really substitute for the other. The same is true when it comes to flavored cannabis products.
The Very Best Fruity Strains
Virtually any strain with strong fruit notes ought to be a hitter. Pineapple Express, for example, has historically been a popular choice before it was even a real strain. The flavor profile of pineapple is uplifting all on its own and pairs very nicely with the bright citrus tones many sativas often share. Pineapple is rich in Linalool, Pinene, and Geraniol, so pairing it with a hemp strain is an obvious, natural choice. If this already makes you mouth water and long for the sweet and succulent flavors of a pineapple, check out the Piña Delta-8 THC 2G Disposable, made by crossing Pineapple Express and Trainwreck to see what all the hype is about.
Citrus is another very common fruit flavor that pairs well with cannabis and hemp strains. Strains like Tangie, Mimosa, and Forbidden Fruit are all some great examples of well-rounded citrus-flavored strains. Citrus is bright and uplifting, making it a natural complement to sativa strains which can be infused with a wide variety of psychoactive cannabinoids such as THC-P as featured in the Sunday Scaries THC-P 2G Disposable, a fire mashup of Mimosa and Forbidden Fruit wrapped in the convenience of a disposable vape.
Other fruit flavors have been gaining notoriety as of late as well, with apple and watermelon becoming fast-favorites with consumers. Watermelon is an especially popular flavor for edibles as we have the Watermelon Melo Dose Gummies for those wanting a low-dose, controllable Delta-9 buzz and the ever-so-relaxing Bubba Melon Delta-8 Gummies for those that want to chill off Delta-8. And if apple is the flavor of choice, there’s always the tried-and-true Apple Snax Delta-8 THC Vape Cartridge made with Apple Jack and Jack Herer for a zesty, apple-citrus flavor mix for added good measure.
Grape-flavored strains are arguably one of the most popular fruit-centric blends out there. Something about the rich aroma and purplish flower makes grape-flavored strains really hard to pass up. Grapes are full of terpenes, particularly Linalool, so it’s no surprise the aromas pair so well. Grape strains are known for its ability to calm us down and knock us out, so it’s a fan-favorite choice for many stoners with a higher tolerance and desire to take things easy and chill out over the Grape Soda Delta-8 THC 2G Disposable.
Do Fruit-Flavored Strains Have Therapeutic Benefits?
It turns out, flavored cannabis strains do more than just taste and smell good while getting us super baked. We mentioned that grapes are particularly rich in Linalool. Linalool is well-known for its ability to ease anxiety, depression and modulate your ability to mood-regulate. Grape strains are also rich in Citronellol, which naturally possesses anti-inflammatory properties, and Geraniol, which is though to help ease inflammation and act as a neuroprotectant. These properties most likely help to enhance the effect consuming these psychoactive cannabinoids have on our bodies, which is likely one of the reasons why people love fruit-centric strains so much.
