Managing the Munchies
It’s a blessing and a curse: Almost universally, food tastes better after consuming cannabis. The enhanced sensory perception that being high enables in most consumers sees the taste buds exploding with ecstasy at every morsel, leaving mounds of empty chip bags and dirtied plates in their wake.
It’s a right romp in the moment, to be sure – but while nobody could blame you for wanting to live a little, it follows that many diet-conscious consumers may look to their waistlines with despair after a big night. Suddenly that third helping of Smartfood popcorn doesn’t feel so smart.
Here we’ll explain why the munchies affect us the way they do, and we’ll share some foods that’ll compliment your voracious appetite without sending you to the dentist or the treadmill.
What are the munchies?
When consumed, cannabis is known for heightening the senses. In the case of the munchies, that sudden hankering is prompted when THC binds to and triggers your body’s cannabinoid type 1 receptors, increasing appetite regardless of how full or empty your stomach feels. It may explain the sensation of seemingly endless, almost compulsive hunger that can drive us to continue eating well past the point of fullness. This hunger is known colloquially as the munchies.
Those cannabinoid receptors are scattered throughout the body, but their placement in the stomach, small intestine and the hypothalamus (a small regulatory region at the base of the brain) may be the cause of the munchies in mammals.
There are other factors that influence the sudden urge to down a bag of Cheetos as well, including cannabis’ effect on the sense of smell and the relationship between cannabinoids and dopamine, which can spike when “highly palatable” food is consumed; foods made all the more palatable for the reasons mentioned above.
While there’s no rigid set of foods that adhere to the “munchies” phenomenon, frequent consumers will notice a tendency towards carb-heavy, sugary or salty foods when in its throes. Junk foods capitalize on our increased sensitivity to taste, making them an unfortunate mainstay in the muncher’s diet.
How to avoid going overboard with the munchies
Unless you’re an accountant, rigid organization probably isn’t your idea of a good time. But if you’re going to consume cannabis without overconsuming everything else, it’ll help to plan ahead and have friendlier foods on hand. Here are some snacks that can pacify the binger in you while limiting the lasting damage.
Kale chips
Undoubtedly nutritious and surprisingly delicious when seasoned, kale’s cooler, snack-sized offshoot will satisfy the urge to down a bag-of-something while avoiding the greasy, trans-fat heavy properties of most dollar store snackables. They’re a bit more expensive, but if the extra buck or two is a concern, it’s easy and quick to make numerous batches of the stuff with olive oil, your choice of seasoning and some good ol’ kale.
Sweet fruits
Think pineapples, watermelons and mangoes here. The sudden sweet tooth will have a field day digging into nature’s finest, and you won’t be eyeing your waistline or examining your molars the same way you might after chowing down on their assorted “real fruit gummy” counterparts. It’s also been suggested that the myrcene found in mangoes can also enhance cannabis’ high, so cut off a slice and see for yourself.
Dark chocolate
Anything chocolate related may read just short of insanity, but certain varieties of dark chocolate have displayed some serious benefits on top of just feeling plain fancy. Chocolates with 70-85 per cent cocoa can be powerful antioxidants, and can contain high amounts of iron, magnesium, copper, zinc and other nutrients. Two separate studies showed that subjects A) ate less junk food after consuming dark chocolate, and B) ate less in general after enjoying a bar. Exercise may also be easier after eating dark chocolate, if a mid-high workout is your thing. Look for chocolates with a high percentage of cocoa, low amounts of sugar, and fewer additives overall.
Trail mix
For the longest time, I assumed trail mix was a ploy: Its mere presence in the snack section was clearly only to incentivize shoppers to purchase tastier, pricier, more visibly palatable snacks than this assortment of stray twigs and local debris. Time and age have since had their way, though, and the nutritional value of nuts, seeds and dried fruit simply can’t be overlooked. The variety of nutrients present in one scoop of trail mix can be pretty impressive for a “light snack”, and its munch-ability satiates the need for compulsive noshing. Organic trail mix works best, but even the regular store-brand mix is a step up from more commonplace alternatives.
Veggies and (carefully chosen) dip
As above, there was a time I would’ve been squeamish about including such an entry on a list of viable alternatives to the standard munchie solutions. Paired with some guacamole, hummus or any other fashionably healthy dip, there’s almost no veggie that won’t leave you feeling good about your dietary choices while high. Sweet baby carrots, cauliflower and sliced parsnips are all strong contenders. No, potato chips don’t count.
This article was written by David Wilson. David Wilson is a freelance writer and journalist, living and working in Toronto. He writes about cannabis, culture, and the intersection at which they meet.
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This article was published November 27th, 2019.