{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/munchies/","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_3746-markdown","title":"What Are Munchies and Why Do You Get Them When You Smoke Weed?","slug":"what-are-munchies-and-why-do-you-get-them-when-you-smoke-weed","content":"The munchies. If you've consumed weed, you've most likely had this type of experience: You smoke a joint, and suddenly you've finished all the chips in the house, eaten a block of cheese, and ordered a large pepperoni pizza. You wake up the next morning knowing full well you've destroyed your diet with a zombie frenzy of bad calories.\n\nLeave the guilt behind. There's a scientific explanation for the munchies and even research into ways to counter their effects. And if you can see past the junk food rampage, you'll may come to know that the munchies can be a good thing.\n\nThe term \"munchies\" comes from Charles T. Tart's 1971 study, [\"On Being Stoned,\"](http://www.psychedelic-library.org/tartcont.htm) in which 150 cannabis users were put under observations, and their cravings for sweet food were duly noted by researchers.\n\nSince then, the word \"munchies\" has worked its way into the popular vocabulary, used wryly just before the cupboard or refrigerator door opens.\n\n### The Science Behind Weed Munchies\n\nWhen it comes to getting the munchies, it seems the cannabis culprit is one of its principal psychoactive ingredients, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.\n\n\"THC interacts with receptors in our brain that regulate emotions, pain, and our sense of smell and taste,\" explains [Janice Newell Bissex, a registered dietitian](https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/20/health/why-weed-causes-munchies-food-drayer/index.html) in a CNN interview. \"It can also promote the release of the hormone ghrelin, which stimulates hunger.\"\n\nThe brain itself is divided into areas that control mood, influence appetites, and so on. So as THC gets us high, it also acts upon the part of the brain that tells us to eat more.\n\nBesides ghrelin, our [endocannabinoid system (ECS)](https://hellomd.com/articles/the-science-of-getting-the-munchies-and-why-it-helps-the-critically-ill] can also influence appetite. This system includes cannabinoid receptors in the central and peripheral nervous system and the immune system. The ECS is also associated with inner balance or homeostasis. These receptors, especially the CB1 receptors, are found in great concentrations in parts of the brain that affect memory, movement, emotions, higher cognition, and appetite.\n\nAs THC binds with CB1 receptors, appetite increases, and the act of eating is made more pleasurable. In conjunction with this, the feeling of becoming full (which in other cases might make us stop eating) is reduced.\n\nTHC can also improve smell, which is linked to appetite, and improve your taste.\n\n\n![Screen Shot 2021-09-16 at 11.24.51 AM.png](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2021_09_16_at_11_24_51_AM_e931ec3ecc.png)\n\nPLUS gummies are a favorite! Check out their [full product line](https://www.plusproducts.com/gummies).\n\n### Weed, Munchies and Weight Gain\n\nOf course, weed itself won't make us fat. But if we give into the munchies and couch-lock, so we aren't active, then we might start to pack on the pounds. It's been shown that people who are already overweight may be more motivated to eat during cannabis use, especially since they may be prone to having a higher dopamine response triggered by seeing, smelling, and tasting desirable foods.\n\nSome edibles have sugar in them, so this may also contribute to weight gain. But they also may be less culpable in creating the munchies response, since they release THC into the system much slower than the hit you get from smoking marijuana.\n\nOne way to curb the munchies is to limit your THC intake. This is one of the benefits of going to a [legal, state-authorized dispensary](https://www.statista.com/statistics/754751/medical-marijuana-dispensaries-number-by-state/) where products are required to be lab-tested and labeled with the percentages of CBD and THC in them. \n\nTo flip the script, there's also evidence that cannabis can help [boost your metabolism](https://hellomd.com/articles/5-healthy-tasty-snacks-for-when-you-get-the-munchies) and even burn calories. On average, weed users tend to weigh less than people who forgo it.\n\nAnd there is even a certain cannabinoid within cannabis, THCV, or tetrahydrocannabivarin, that may be able to suppress the munchies. THCV is found in great abundance in flower strains such as [Durban Poison](https://hellomd.com/strains/durban-poison) and other native African strains.\n\nBut if you're concerned about eating the wrong things after consuming your weed, then it's a good idea to prepare and stock your home with healthy alternatives. For example, baked sweet potato fries are a great substitute for deep-fried French fries or a whole bag of potato chips. Or to satisfy a craving for salty-sweet foods, have apple slices with almond butter available instead of the jar of Nutella!\n\n### How the Munchies Can Help\n\nOn a more serious note, weed's ability to stimulate the appetite comes in handy to counter the effects of various medical conditions that weaken the desire to eat, such as cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, people suffering with HIV, or those affected by anorexia nervosa.\n\nSick people often cannot eat enough food to stay healthy, and the critically ill can suffer from malnourishment. In many cases, these people would welcome a chance to get the munchies and to see their waistlines and health prospects grow.\n\n### Need Your Medical Marijuana Card?\n\nIf you're someone who's looking to make cannabis part of a daily health regime, you may want to look into becoming a certified medical marijuana patient. [HelloMD](https://hellomd.com/get-started) can help you with online virtual medical consultation and get your medical card fast, easy and private. You only pay if you're approved!\n\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/2299f1fe044adc8dc243d07124f26cf4/14b42/0424746a277c377965e2bf8e51ee3598.jpg","srcSet":"/static/2299f1fe044adc8dc243d07124f26cf4/f836f/0424746a277c377965e2bf8e51ee3598.jpg 200w,\n/static/2299f1fe044adc8dc243d07124f26cf4/2244e/0424746a277c377965e2bf8e51ee3598.jpg 400w,\n/static/2299f1fe044adc8dc243d07124f26cf4/14b42/0424746a277c377965e2bf8e51ee3598.jpg 800w,\n/static/2299f1fe044adc8dc243d07124f26cf4/47498/0424746a277c377965e2bf8e51ee3598.jpg 1200w,\n/static/2299f1fe044adc8dc243d07124f26cf4/0e329/0424746a277c377965e2bf8e51ee3598.jpg 1600w,\n/static/2299f1fe044adc8dc243d07124f26cf4/c128d/0424746a277c377965e2bf8e51ee3598.jpg 5760w","srcWebp":"/static/2299f1fe044adc8dc243d07124f26cf4/58556/0424746a277c377965e2bf8e51ee3598.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/2299f1fe044adc8dc243d07124f26cf4/61e93/0424746a277c377965e2bf8e51ee3598.webp 200w,\n/static/2299f1fe044adc8dc243d07124f26cf4/1f5c5/0424746a277c377965e2bf8e51ee3598.webp 400w,\n/static/2299f1fe044adc8dc243d07124f26cf4/58556/0424746a277c377965e2bf8e51ee3598.webp 800w,\n/static/2299f1fe044adc8dc243d07124f26cf4/99238/0424746a277c377965e2bf8e51ee3598.webp 1200w,\n/static/2299f1fe044adc8dc243d07124f26cf4/7c22d/0424746a277c377965e2bf8e51ee3598.webp 1600w,\n/static/2299f1fe044adc8dc243d07124f26cf4/ec000/0424746a277c377965e2bf8e51ee3598.webp 5760w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1978-markdown","title":"The Munchies Will Make you Fat, Right? Think Again. ","slug":"the-munchies-will-make-you-fat-right-think-again","content":"Most cannabis users think that there's no chance marijuana can be good\r\nfor weight loss. The herb is notorious for stimulating appetite, more commonly known as \"the munchies.\"\r\nThe times are changing, though, and new evidence is suggesting that\r\ncannabis might actually help consumers *lose* weight rather than gain\r\nit.\r\n\r\n**The Connection Between Cannabis and Weight Loss**\r\n\r\nAccording to a\r\n[study](http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/05/study-why-pot-smokers-are-skinnier/275846/)\r\nco-conducted by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the Harvard School\r\nof Public Health and scientists studying at the University of Nebraska,\r\nregular cannabis users generally have smaller waists and a lower BMI\r\n(body mass index) than their marijuana-free counterparts. This was true\r\neven after the researchers adjusted for factors including physical\r\nactivity levels, gender, age and cigarette and tobacco use. The study\r\nparticipants who used marijuana also had higher levels of good\r\ncholesterol in their bloodstream, which has been shown to [protect\r\nagainst heart\r\ndisease](http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/AboutCholesterol/Good-vs-Bad-Cholesterol_UCM_305561_Article.jsp#.VsTAzZMrJE4),\r\nas well as lower levels of insulin resistance.\r\n\r\nA separate\r\n[study](https://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/08/24/aje.kwr200.abstract)\r\nconducted in 2011 and published in the prominent American Journal of\r\nEpidemiology indicates that, while marijuana users consume an average of\r\n600 more calories each day than their marijuana-free counterparts,\r\nobesity rates within marijuana users are actually one-third lower than\r\nthey are in the general population, which is due to the ability of\r\nmarijuana to improve good cholesterol, produce a lower BMI and regulate\r\ninsulin levels.\r\n\r\n**Cannabis and Metabolism**\r\n\r\nAnother way that cannabis helps control weight gain is by eliciting a\r\npositive influence on the metabolic system. When cannabis is ingested,\r\nthe THC contained in cannabis stimulates the body to produce a hormone\r\nknown as ghrelin. While it's quite unknown to the general public,\r\nghrelin is famous among researchers who study metabolism for its ability\r\nto [stimulate appetite](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17212793). In\r\naddition to making us hungry, however, ghrelin also helps our bodies\r\nmetabolize the food we eat more efficiently. With that in mind, it's\r\nclear that, while THC may increase our appetites, it also stimulates the\r\nmetabolism to perform as well as possible.\r\n\r\n**Cannabis and Diabetes**\r\n\r\nOne of the most important effects of cannabis, however, is its\r\naforementioned role in lowering insulin resistance levels. Insulin is\r\nthe hormone in the human body that is responsible for regulating blood\r\nsugars like glucose. While these blood sugars are pivotal for our\r\nsurvival and energy needs, too much of them can quickly become\r\ndangerous, resulting in both weight gain and an increased risk of\r\ndiabetes.\r\n\r\nFortunately, marijuana helps control blood glucose, which can actually\r\ndecrease a person's risk of diabetes. According to one [2013\r\nstudy](http://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-93431300200-3/abstract),\r\npeople who used marijuana on a regular basis had 16 percent lower\r\ninsulin levels than people who never used marijuana. These subjects also\r\nhad lower rates of insulin resistance -- 17 percent lower, to be exact.\r\n\r\nIn light of this, it's clear that in addition to helping prevent excess\r\nweight gain, marijuana may also be a powerful form of diabetes\r\nprevention.\r\n\r\n**Conclusion**\r\n\r\nWhile marijuana is often associated with weight gain, it's now clear\r\nthat cannabis can actually help people maintain a healthy weight. The\r\nplant does this by controlling insulin levels, increasing metabolism,\r\nboosting healthy cholesterol levels and triggering a set of hormonal\r\nchanges that enhance the way we process food. Because of these things,\r\npeople who consume marijuana can potentially have lower rates of\r\ndiabetes, less risk of obesity, smaller waistlines and a lower risk of\r\nheart disease than those who don't.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/clobby/351364954/in/photolist-x3Qys-9HPRTH-6AXVvB-qHdvgb-bobYhV-593cJw-6GApQs-nH8iV3-bawuB-7K6YjJ-oah4u-5NRUZj-8sWswd-6ovSmZ-7EBoBU-9HdqKP-9HdrrZ-87HJaF-8M36K9-7E2yv-2MKDP-dumGwb-5EJmVd-7Exxd6-8QPtNc-3mt6EV-HR9B9-e7ZCNB-dJgSV7-87HHSn-89PtdX-2Z8QPW-88k7Xi-9HdsbD-8bHuuK-mEAa8-6Wt6Cp-832Qmq-dumBvq-AD4vf-5sboS8-5i893-bogkMt-7ytdUo-dumHYQ-4sGYvz-4LJyAj-7nFiFS-4qDyFA-2avim)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5267175572519085,"src":"/static/83bb60c0f71f37f3d8fdce4b9e3fe5e7/ee604/2ce80841604e931df53b4e39487fbe7e.png","srcSet":"/static/83bb60c0f71f37f3d8fdce4b9e3fe5e7/69585/2ce80841604e931df53b4e39487fbe7e.png 200w,\n/static/83bb60c0f71f37f3d8fdce4b9e3fe5e7/497c6/2ce80841604e931df53b4e39487fbe7e.png 400w,\n/static/83bb60c0f71f37f3d8fdce4b9e3fe5e7/ee604/2ce80841604e931df53b4e39487fbe7e.png 800w,\n/static/83bb60c0f71f37f3d8fdce4b9e3fe5e7/4c5c8/2ce80841604e931df53b4e39487fbe7e.png 1004w","srcWebp":"/static/83bb60c0f71f37f3d8fdce4b9e3fe5e7/58556/2ce80841604e931df53b4e39487fbe7e.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/83bb60c0f71f37f3d8fdce4b9e3fe5e7/61e93/2ce80841604e931df53b4e39487fbe7e.webp 200w,\n/static/83bb60c0f71f37f3d8fdce4b9e3fe5e7/1f5c5/2ce80841604e931df53b4e39487fbe7e.webp 400w,\n/static/83bb60c0f71f37f3d8fdce4b9e3fe5e7/58556/2ce80841604e931df53b4e39487fbe7e.webp 800w,\n/static/83bb60c0f71f37f3d8fdce4b9e3fe5e7/eddbc/2ce80841604e931df53b4e39487fbe7e.webp 1004w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":0,"numPages":1,"currentPage":1,"id":5541,"name":"Munchies","slug":"munchies","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}