CannaBasics: Best Strains Without the Munchies Understanding the Munchies

Cannabis is great for many things, but one of its strengths is its ability to stimulate appetite. This quality has given birth to many a stigma about lazy consumers who allegedly eat whole bags of chips and snacks, otherwise referred to as getting “the munchies.” But it’s also been proven that cannabis strains differ greatly from one another. Some are uplifting, motivating and provide consumers with newfound courage and creativity. Others help insomniacs get rest, or other experience relief from constant pain. And some actually prove the stigma wrong, do not create a craving for munchies.

The munchies are the result of cannabis tricking your brain into thinking that the body is hungry and in need of nutrients, rather than full or content. According to a 2015 study about the connection between cannabis and the munchies, researchers found that cannabis consumption affects neurons that normally help suppress appetite. The study’s lead author, Tamas Horvath, explained this effect: “It’s like pressing a car’s brakes and accelerating instead,” he told Yale Daily News. “We were surprised to find that the neurons we thought were responsible for shutting down eating, were suddenly being activated and promoting hunger, even when you are full. It fools the brain’s central feeding system.”

So for medical patients who need to gain weight for instance, having the munchies is a lifesaver. However, for other consumers who just want to use cannabis without worrying about their waistline, this can sometimes pose a major problem. Luckily, not all cannabis are munchie-inducers. Strains high in cannabidiol (CBD) simply do not affect the brain’s neurons in a way that many strains can, especially if they are higher in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Strains high in THCV are also well know for their ability to suppress appetite.

Many cannabis businesses have taken advantage of these unique strains. Some have even bred their cannabis specifically to create anti-munchies medicine. Strains such as Cannatonic, XJ-13 and Durban Poison are well-known for their high-THCV contents. If you’re looking to make good on your New Year’s resolution in eating less junk or limit your food intake, finding the perfect anti-munchie strain is a must.