Maximum Yield Cannabis USA December 2017 / January 2018 | Page 77

DECARBOXYLATION
Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) is a non-psychoactive
cannabinoid found in raw and live cannabis. As the plant
dries, THCA slowly converts to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Heat aids this process, which is known as decarboxylation, a
scientific term that describes what happens when you smoke
or vaporize the cannabis bud. Tetrahydrocannabinol is the
primary compound found in cannabis and is what supplies us
with some of the medicinal benefits of the plant, as well as the
psychoactive properties that create the high feeling that users
experience. Tetrahydrocannabinol, along with cannabidiol,
the other main ingredient in marijuana, attach themselves
to receptors throughout the body and in the brain, creating
various potentially healing effects.
Because the act of smoking itself does all the hard work of
decarboxylation, it is not really a topic that is given too much
thought amongst most cannabis users. I must admit that, as a
smoker, I had no idea what it was or how important a process
it is when I first heard of the term. Without this process, how-
ever, the THCA would not be activated to THC and you would
not get any of the wonderful benefits.
A common oversight by many when they first start experi-
menting with cannabis in recipes is the idea that simply cook-
ing the cannabis within a recipe will be enough to decarboxyl-
ate it, as the food will obviously be heated during cooking. The
heat from cooking will activate some of the THC, but not all
of it, as the cannabis will be combined with the other ingre-
dients, reducing its susceptibility to the heat. To maximize
the THC potency in your food, you need to decarboxylate your
cannabis first before you begin cooking.
myhydrolife.com
“
TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL
is the primary compound
found in cannabis and is
what supplies us with some
of the medicinal benefits
of the plant, as well as the
psychoactive properties.”
grow. heal. learn. enjoy.
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