Why Do Some Foods Taste Better When You’re High?

When’s the last time you got high and indulged in your favorite meal or snack?  By now, you must know that there’s something about cannabis that makes us enjoy our favorite foods on a whole new level.  And if you were wondering, no, it isn’t your imagination.  There is a physiological effect that psychoactive cannabinoids have on us that changes the way in which we experience eating.  Let’s explore further.

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What is it About Hemp that Makes Food Taste Better?

The relationship between cannabis and food is something that’s been noted for ages.  Looking at modern times, we see cannabis prescribed throughout the country to patients who struggle with appetite, so surely there must be something to it.  But, what’s actually happening within the body that changes how we experience not only appetite, but the pleasure that we derive from eating?

Yes, “The Munchies” are Real

First off, we all know about “the munchies” – in other words, the appetite-boosting effect you get while high, that makes you suddenly want to snack even if you’ve eaten just an hour or two ago.  This is a well-established property of THC and THC-homologue cannabinoids (with the exception of tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), which suppresses appetite), and comes from the unique influence that these cannabinoids have on cannabinoid receptors related to appetite, which are related to our serotonin levels.

When we’re hungry in general, food tastes better.  The fact that we’ve given into our instinct to consume food for our survival stimulates a series of chemical responses in the brain that reward us for ensuring that we live another day with food in our stomachs.  That happens when we eat while high, too – the fact that we’re hungry makes us enjoy food all the more.

Those Euphoric Effects That You Get While High Impact Everything

THC cannabinoids also increase our dopamine levels, and dopamine is the neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of reward and pleasure.  It’s dopamine that rushes through the brain when we engage in mood-boosting behaviors like shopping, eating sugar, going for a run and experiencing physical intimacy.  With these cannabinoids possibly increasing our dopamine levels, eating foods that we love will cause our brains to feel that much more rewarded. 

Basically, the dopamine that’s flooding through your brain is telling you that what you’re eating is not only good, but the best thing in the world.  This applies to a lot of sensory experiences we have while high – after all, listening to your favorite album can be downright orgasmic when you’re under the influence of a THC cannabinoid. 

Your Senses are Enhanced by Psychoactive Cannabinoids

In general, cannabinoids have a unique effect on our sensory experiences, beyond the dopamine factor.  Our senses of smell and taste seem to be particularly enhanced by THC and like cannabinoids, because of the role that cannabinoid receptors play in regulating these processes.  So, you’re not necessarily imagining that the cookie you’re eating tastes better than usual – it actually is tasting better because your senses of taste and smell are enhanced, allowing you to enjoy more of the nuance of the flavor than you would normally.

Does The High Munchies Apply to All Foods?

One thing we know is that while being high does enhance your ability to enjoy your favorite foods, that doesn’t mean that it can force you to like foods that you typically stay away from.  For example, if you hate spinach with a passion, some THC isn’t going to suddenly make that spinach taste like the best thing you’ve ever put in your mouth.  What it does do is amplify the joy you already get from eating foods that you do like, and that’s why once those munchies kick in, we rarely reach for the veggies at the bottom of the fridge, and instead opt for the junk food that hits the spot.

The Strain Probably Matters 

One thing worth pointing out is that the strain you’re using probably makes a difference.  Some strains are “munchier” than others – White Runtz comes to mind, being notorious for this effect – while some strains don’t seem to increase appetite at all.  Clearly, the configuration of cannabinoids and terpenes, which can differ dramatically from strain to strain, has a lot to do with just how hungry you’ll feel, and just how much pleasure you’ll get out of eating.  That’s good news, because it means that you can choose whether or not you want to experience the munchies while enjoying the other effects of your favorite plant.

So Does the Cannabinoid 

Finally, each cannabinoid related to THC has its own impact on appetite.  Not a lot of research has been done in this area, but it’s safe to assume that the more potent the THC cannabinoid, the stronger these effects would be.  For instance, THC-P may greatly increase appetite, while delta 8 THC has a far lower impact overall.

Final Thoughts

If you’re all about the satisfying effects of eating while high, then you’re in luck, because at Binoid, we offer plenty of munchy strains that will make those cookies and chips taste better than ever.  If you’re trying to avoid this kind of effect, that’s okay too – we’ve got plenty of non-munchy strains, as well as cannabinoids that are less likely to have a powerful impact on appetite.  Either way, it’s clear that the effects that THC has on appetite and eating overall are pretty fascinating.

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