What are CBD and CBG, and do these cannabinoids provide different effects when you smoke them? Discover the differences between CBD flower and CBG flower.
By Contributing Author
These days, there are quite a few different types of non-intoxicating hemp flower to choose from. While CBG and CBD are similar due to their shared non-intoxicating properties, these cannabinoids have unique benefits. Learn the differences between CBG and CBD flower, and find out which type of hemp is right for your needs.
What is CBD Flower?
CBD flower is Cannabis sativa that has been bred to be high in cannabidiol (CBD) and low in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The law requires that CBD flower products contain less than 0.3% THC, and some CBD-rich flower strains can contain as much as 20-25% CBD. Ingesting CBD in flower form provides increased bioavailability compared to ingesting this cannabinoid orally, and the activation time of smoking CBD flower is much more rapid than using CBD any other way.
People use CBD flower for pain relief, sleep, mood improvements, and a variety of other purposes. Unlike THC, cannabidiol does not cause intoxication, which scientists believe is due to the fact that this cannabinoid doesn’t stimulate the brain’s cannabinoid receptors. Instead, CBD interacts with components of the nervous system that regulate inflammation, pain, and a variety of other important biochemical processes.
What is CBG flower?
Recently, breeders have managed to produce strains of cannabis that are high in cannabigerol (CBG), a cannabinoid that’s similar to CBD but with unique properties. CBG is directly derived from CBGA, a type of carboxylic acid that can also transform into CBD, THC, and a variety of other cannabinoids when exposed to specific enzymes. Therefore, scientists are very interested in the potential research applications of Cannabis sativa strains that are high in CBG.
While cannabis researchers still aren’t sure exactly how CBG affects the body, it’s clear that this cannabinoid does not directly stimulate the brain’s primary cannabinoid receptors. Therefore, like CBD, cannabigerol is not intoxicating, and it generally provides relaxing benefits similar to those offered by CBD.
CBG may also have unique properties that differentiate this cannabinoid from CBD. For instance, research has been conducted into the potential antimicrobial properties of CBG, and scientists have also looked closely at the possible gastrointestinal effects of this cannabinoid. This research is especially notable since CBD does not appear to have considerable gastrointestinal or antimicrobial properties.
How are CBD flower and CBG flower different?
One of the primary differences between CBD flower and CBG flower is the current availability of each type of hemp. Cannabis breeders have been producing strains with high concentrations of CBD for more than a decade, but CBG-rich forms of Cannabis sativa have only been available for a couple of years. As a result, CBD flower usually has higher concentrations of cannabinoids than CBG flower, and it’s still relatively hard to find good sources of high-quality CBG-rich hemp.
CBD and CBG flower also may have slightly different effects when smoked. Some users suggest that CBG-rich flower provides more energizing effects than CBD-rich flower, which almost always provides compellingly relaxing effects. Additionally, many individuals seeking relief from pain choose CBD flower while people with gastrointestinal issues generally choose CBG flower.
How to choose the right type of hemp
Both CBG flower and CBD flower have unique properties that make each type of hemp desirable for different reasons. At the same time, the distinct benefits of CBG and CBD overlap in ways that may make it useful to use these two cannabinoids together.
Instead of forcing yourself to choose between CBD flower and CBG flower, you might want to combine these two types of non-intoxicating Cannabis sativa to experience increased benefits. Just make sure that you source your hemp flower from a reputable brand like Secret Nature that uses organic cultivation processes and provides third-party lab results.
