Live Resin Concentrates and Their Benefits Explained
Cannabis veterans have known the pleasures of Live Resin Concentrates for ages. They have always been the means to a fast and potent high. But novice users are joining the demand because of medical benefits, too.
Resin is the honey gold sap you find on many trees. Most woody plants have something similar, although it may not be as pronounced or accessible to the woodsy hiker. In cannabis strains, it exudes into tiny sacks called trichomes, with some strains producing more than others. The idea is that if you can tap that ooze, you will find the purest form of cannabis value because it has been naturally processed.
Resin carries the sought-after THC and CBD cannabinoids, but it also includes the flavonoids and terpenes that produce the flavors and aromas that differentiate cannabis strains. Live Resin is about capturing that botanical juice at just the right time to avoid the natural loss that occurs during drying and harvesting.
When you buy or grow cannabis plants, you want to monitor the growth of those trichomes closely because they contain the value-added benefits, even though all parts of the plant serve other purposes.
How Live Resin is processed.
Live Resin is not decarboxylated. That is, it has not gone through a process that, in heating the cannabis, releases the cannabinoids. Unlike the dry herb you might put in a joint, it has not surrendered much of the power to the dry-curing process or to the subsequent smoking process.
Instead, they freeze the cannabis at a freezing temperature (-30° to -50°F) immediately following harvest. It is that process that prohibits most amateurs from doing this at home. Because cannabis loses its power immediately after cutting, it may lose 60 percent of its potency and benefits before reaching the market.
Live Resin producers handle the brittle trichomes delicately to avoid damage. However, the freezing adds water content as the cold separates its chemicals. One problem is that the butane used in some processes can leave behind toxins. It takes unique, sophisticated, and expensive equipment and technology to make this work well – and safely. The extraction process is sort of like a pricey bootlegger’s still because it precipitates the isolation and salvage of Live Resin.
The Live Resin concentrates:
Live Resin is one of several concentrates. Each has a shape and potency that makes a difference. Some are listed here in alphabetical order:
Budder: Budder has the softness and color of dairy butter. Still, it pulls and handles like taffy. It has a terpene count that increases flavor and aroma, but the stickiness requires careful handling to avoid waste.
Crumble: Crumble has a drier consistency. Stored in a glass jar, it has a good shelf life and is easy to handle. Its texture reminds you of excellent dirt or sand.
Rosin: Rosin is produced by pressing dry cannabis buds under heat to effectively squeeze out their toxins and solvents.
Shatter: Shatter looks and feels like candy brittle. This glass-like by-product, in honey or amber color, breaks into pieces for convenient use.
Wax: Popular with dabbers for its gummy consistency. You will want to handle it carefully because its sticky adhesion will waste product.
Live Resin differs from these in significant ways, due to how it is developed and the safety risks that process entails.
Benefits of cannabis concentrates –
All concentrates are refined cannabis by-products. Their various production techniques aim to eliminate plant material, thereby increasing the “purity” of the product. This, in turn, increases its potency and delivers benefits specific to THC and CBD intake.
People inhale the fumes of Live Resin when it is super-heated in a dabbing rig or bong. Because there is no “smoking” combustion, the fumes are void of nicotine, tar, and other toxins. The concentrated power of THC promises a soaring high with lasting effects, and the concentrated CBD ensures a quicker medical benefit.
Using is not as convenient as smoking a joint or vaping an oil. Still, the concentration of elements can relieve symptoms associated with chronic or situational anxiety, Alzheimer’s Disease, chemotherapy-related nausea, depression and PTSD, epilepsy and other forms of non-voluntary spasticity, insomnia and sleeping disorders, chronic and situational stress, and more.
That same potency presents a problem. Live Resin is not for first-time cannabis users. It is pricey and takes some time to learn to use correctly. You must research it and the products available. At a dispensary, you must thoroughly examine the label, looking for the contents and third-party testing results. The better products are available at prices that may cause sticker shock.
Moreover, you must consider the potency. The effects of THC and/or CBD will hit your system quickly and with a power enriched by the elimination of other elements. If you are new to Live Resin or other concentrates, you should work with an experienced user to learn how to use the various forms.
As importantly, you should not start by using it alone. You should use it with a friend or friends who might help if your experience is challenging. Overall, you should consider starting with a low-potency concentrate or a smaller amount before titrating up to an intake you find more comfortable.
Good advice –
You should not even consider making your own Live Resin; the safety risks are too high. You must learn what you are using and how to use it. And you should increase your use and potency slowly until you have confidence in handling the product, the consumption, and the effects.
