The Munchies: Why Does Food Taste Better High?

Have you ever felt severe hunger pangs after using cannabis? You know what I mean — that overwhelming desire to reach for every snack in your cupboard or to put together a peanut butter and pickle sandwich without a second thought. This all too common phenomenon is called “Munchies”.

One of the best aspects of smoking weed is the immense satisfaction that a simple bag of chips can bring. But did you know that there are scientific reasons why food tastes so much better when you’re high?

Here we examine the scientific and anecdotal evidence surrounding cravings.

Why does grass make food taste so good?

Not only has science confirmed the existence of cravings, but anecdotal evidence has supported this experience as long as cannabis has been consumed. And cannabis has been widely accepted by researchers as an appetite stimulant, but until recently science didn’t figure out why.

Food can taste better when you’re high for a variety of reasons.

THC stimulates euphoria

One of the main reasons food tastes better when high is your body’s unique endocannabinoid system (ECS), which allows you to experience a pleasurable, mind-altering “high” when you consume THC, the main psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis CB1 -Receptors in the brain are responsible for cravings.

THC typically affects the brain by stimulating the “feel good” chemical dopamine, leading to feelings of mind-altering euphoria and over-the-top pleasure while lowering inhibitions. Long-standing anecdotal evidence suggests that these feelings definitely apply to the feeling of eating while high. Anyone who’s smoked a joint and then gone downtown for an ice cream cone (no judgement) can attest to this.

Weed increases hunger

Throughout recorded history, people have reported that smoking weed helps increase their appetite. In fact, at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis, a volunteer hospital worker named Brownie Mary was handing out cannabis-infused brownies to patients.

In the early 1980s, Mary was reportedly baking up to 600 infused brownies a day, which helped patients eat successfully and keep food down that they otherwise couldn’t. Fortunately, weed’s effect on hunger is not only pleasurable, but also has important therapeutic implications.

THC may play a role in the production of the hormone known as ghrelin, which acts on appetite centers in the brain to stimulate hunger. And the hungrier we are, the happier we are with the food. This means that eating high can feel more rewarding than usual.

THC makes food smell and taste better

A 2014 study led by Giovanni Marsicano of the Université de Bordeaux found that cannabis actually makes food smell and taste better. The team of neuroscientists who conducted the study found that interacting with our CB1 receptors improves our sense of smell. Since human taste and smell are closely related, an increased sense of smell enhances how satisfying and aromatic food tastes and ultimately promotes food intake.

Scientists observed mice in the presence of almond and banana oils to test their hypothesis. According to the study, “Mice exposed to THC did not adapt as quickly and spent much more time sniffing the oils.” It was also observed that the mice exposed to THC ate more than those exposed not were When smell perception is enhanced and sensitized, you are likely not only to eat more, but also to consciously enjoy the aromas, flavors, and textures of your food.

However, THC may not help you eat more vegetables

So why do we reach for sugary snacks when we’re high? Another study published in the journal Neuropharmacology further supports the science behind cravings. Interestingly, THC increases the pleasure we feel from eating delicious, high-calorie, and high-sugar foods, but has little effect on foods we already dislike, according to a group of scientists from the University of Cagliari in Italy.

In other words, smoking a joint probably won’t make you eat the veggies you already hate.

Sure, smoking weed might inspire you to create a wok that’s made up of everything in your kitchen. But often stoners can just head to the snack bar — and they most certainly do. A study looked at data in thousands of counties across the US and found causal evidence that legalizing adult consumption may be associated with an increase in sales of junk food, including ice cream, cookies and chips.

bottom line

Anyone who has ever used cannabis and had cravings knows what’s going on – food can become a high of its own. Now that you know why, go ahead and enjoy that ice cream, bag of chips, or even PB&P with a scientific awareness of why this food tastes so good.