Caryophyllene is a common terpene referred to as β-Caryophyllene. It’s a natural compound found in the oils of plants such as cloves, oregano, cannabis indica, cannabis sativa, black pepper, cinnamon, lavender, basil, rosemary, broccoli, and Humulus lupulus, commonly called hops.
Understanding what Caryophyllene is and its uses and benefits can clear up misconceptions and inspire confidence when using products containing Caryophyllene.
Caryophyllene Misconceptions
Caryophyllene is found in many terpene formulations, but not many food products. This may cause people to think of Caryophyllene as a weed-related ingredient and heighten its association with terpenes and the cannabis industry, but unbeknownst to most, it is common to consume Caryophyllene in foods.
When people pour a glass of water, they think of it as pure water but understand that if they add juice concentrate or flavoring crystals, they’re adding components. They no longer have a glass of water; they have a beverage containing multiple ingredients, such as sugar and nectar.
Similarly, plant oils are made up of multiple combined compounds. For example, there are over 20 components in clove oil, but the three main compounds are eugenol, Caryophyllene, and eugenyl acetate.
One benefit of Caryophyllene is its binding abilities. Consider the example of a glass of water combined with juice concentrate. The concentrate and liquid mix together until you can’t tell where the water ends, and the juice concentrate begins. That’s because they blend effectively to make a new liquid.
However, if you poured a cup of oil into a glass of water, you’d notice a distinct separation between the oil and water. Water is denser than oil, causing the oil to float on top. You need to add other ingredients to change the properties of the mix, the way people do when they combine wet ingredients to bake a cake. Caryophyllene is this for terpenes, helping ingredients mix that might otherwise resist each other.
The Terpene Family
Caryophyllene is part of the terpene family. Terpenes are hydrocarbons; natural compounds can be found in plants. Limonene, Linalool, Humulene, Myrcene, Pinene, Ocimene, and Caryophyllene are just a few of the hundreds of different natural terpenes.
Many people enjoy the effects of terpenes without realizing who they have to thank for it. Those effects include scent and flavor. Like all terpenes, one of Caryophyllene’s benefits is its contribution to the aroma of plants and spices that contain it. Caryophyllene delivers a woodsy aroma to some of our terpene formulations, like Cannatonic Terpene Profile, Sunset Punch, and Pineapple Express Terpenes.
Caryophyllene also contributes to the spicy attributes of formulations; it’s a primary ingredient in formulations such as Chemdawg, Blueberry Muffin, and Banana Kush, and enriches the flavor of synfinite blends like Traditional Wedding Cake.
Caryophyllene and Food Use
Caryophyllene has multiple other benefits, such as enriching the aroma of products it’s added to. Caryophyllene also delivers a kick to the taste buds because it gives black pepper its spicy bite and adds to the spicy flavor of terpene products. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Caryophyllene for food use.
Due to its FDA food use approval, Caryophyllene is considered to have dietary benefits. This puts Caryophyllene in a unique class because it’s also considered a cannabinoid, making it a cannabinoid with dietary properties. Cannabinoids trigger effects in the human body by interacting with different receptors, meaning they influence the way cells function and communicate.
Caryophyllene’s Health Benefits
As a cannabinoid, Caryophyllene activates cannabinoid type-2 (CB2) receptors. The CB2 receptors impact the function of immune cells. Because of this Caryophyllene has seen application in treating immune system disorders, ranging from multiple sclerosis to inflammation.
The potential medical benefits and uses of Caryophyllene also include pain reduction. It’s been used to treat pain from nerve damage, cancer treatments, and surgical procedures. Researchers continue to explore Caryophyllene’s uses, including using it to create medicine to prevent and treat COVID-19.
Caryophyllene is a common terpene with noteworthy benefits. It tickles your nose by creating distinct plant scents, offers a spicy taste kick, and its unique binding properties offer multiple health benefits. Whether you’re in the mood for a terpene formulation with a woody aroma or a spicy flavor, head to The Terpene Store and type “Caryophyllene” in the search bar at the top of the site to discover multiple formulations featuring this powerful terpene.