What are Nano Edibles? How Do They Work?

In the age of technology, just about everything is given the prefix "nano." Taken from the Greek term for dwarf, it officially means one part in a billion, although it is rarely used in an official capacity. Since cannabis, like technology, has a habit of using terms outside of their proper definition, the new innovation of nanotechnology has been readily adopted for all manner of products. Nano edibles are a new trend in the cannabis space, potentially revolutionizing edibles as we know them. But what is a nano-infused edible? How are they different from standard edibles?

Accelerating the Process

Take a poll of one hundred stoners and ask them what they like and dislike about edibles. The odds are good that the delay time ranks high on the list. It can take several hours before an edible kicks in, and even with the fast-acting gummies or brownies, it is a gamble as to how soon you get high and how powerful the high is. 

Enter nano emulsification is a big word that means a scientific process in which very small quantities of cannabis oil molecules are used to create a product. Nanotechnology edibles are the most common type of this product, although there are also nano concentrates. This type of emulsification is also very practical for other consumer products, from facial cream to prescription medication. The body absorbs emulsified materials more rapidly, primarily because they are water-soluble. In the context of cannabis, this means that nanotechnology results in fast-acting edibles because the body more rapidly absorbs the THC.

Take a Dose

How do nano edibles work? All edibles function when your digestive system breaks down the infused THC and/or CBD within a brownie, gummy, or soda. THC is bioavailable, simply meaning that it can be digested. Higher bioavailability implies that your body requires less energy to digest it. The reason that we cook our food is not just that it makes it taste better but also because it increases the bioavailability, making it easier to digest. 

Nano-infused edibles have a higher bioavailability than your standard edibles. Nano emulsification makes the THC within these next-generation edibles easier to digest and thus easier to get into your bloodstream. Both CBD and THC molecules in nano edibles become smaller during the emulsification, improving the rate by which your body uptakes the substances. As a result, you take nano bites and will feel higher, faster.

Taste

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Like so many things in life, we sometimes have to make sacrifices for the things we want. That can be the case with edibles made with nano extraction technology because the same process that makes edibles more bioavailable also changes how our taste buds perceive them. The taste of cannabinoids is bitter by default, while smaller molecules have a higher ratio of surface area to volume. As such, you can typically taste the bitter flavor more readily. Other flavors cannot cloak that taste as easily. 

Potency

Just about every stoner under the sun has their own edibles story, whether it is a story gone wrong or a story gone right. Nano edibles may hit harder and faster, but they depend on an individual's metabolism and susceptibility to cannabis. That said, there are some hard facts about speed and efficiency. Both CBD and THC edibles break down in your liver, but THC's active components hit harder than CBD in the liver. As a result, you will feel much higher with THC nano edibles, while CBD nano edibles take longer to feel relaxed and calm. For the same reason, you will notice the difference in THC effects between nano and standard edibles to a greater degree than in CBD effects. As with all edibles, the key is patience, even when the edibles are fast-acting: overloading in the early stages because you do not feel it yet is a risk for those who are less familiar with their own body's uptake rate.

Dosage

Bioavailability in a nano edible ranges from five to fifty percent, with higher rates for THC than CBD. Therefore, a 100mg nano edible may have fifty percent THC bioavailability and put 50mg into your system, or about the same as a typical joint of mid-tier cannabis. Alternatively, a 100mg nano edible may only get 5mg of CBD into your system, perhaps not even enough to notice. As such, a single nano edible may be all you need to get very high, or it may not be enough to get the level of CBD you want out of an edible. Consistency is challenging in all cannabis products, but especially in edibles, meaning there are no guarantees once you buy a nano gummy or brownie. As with all cannabis products, the best bet is to go slow and see how your system reacts. 

Do you enjoy nano edibles more than standard edibles? What flavors and types of edibles are your favorites? Let us know in the comments below!