Can you guess where you might find humulene?

The next time you take a sip of beer, pause for a moment to notice the scent. Do you smell something familiar? If you’re acquainted with the unique aroma of cannabis, you’ll probably find a slight similarity with the smell of the hops in your beer.

The mutual factor is humulene, a terpene common to both cannabis and hops. Hops are a cousin of cannabis and a key ingredient in beer. Humulene has a woodsy, earthy smell that gives beer its hoppy characteristic.

Humulene is believed to benefit the body in several ways. Animal studies show that it has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It’s also a potent insecticide.

In contrast to the common reputation, cannabis has for increasing appetite, humulene on its own appears to act as an appetite suppressant. While there has yet to be any formal studies that test this theory, the idea that humulene can help regulate appetite is widely accepted in the cannabis community.

Hungry for Terpenes?

Experiment with some of these humulene-rich ingredients:

• Coriander
• Basil
• Clove
• Cardamom
• Juniper
• Black currant
• Ginger
• Cilantro

Feel, live and taste the ways you can benefit from humulene

Feel

Humulene has shown to help with muscle and joint pain when applied topically, thanks to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Try a lotion or salve made with humulene-rich ingredients to recover after a tough workout!

Live

Add a humulene-packed essential oil to your homemade insect repellent to protect your plants (and yourself!) from mites, mosquitos and other bugs.

Taste

The next time you try a beer, look for an extra hoppy variety like an IPA or Pale Ale. Just don’t drink it at the same time you use cannabis – mixing alcohol and marijuana is NEVER a good idea.