Is Sativa or Indica Better for Edibles?

Edibles have come a long way since those dodgy brownies your friend made you try that one time. These days, you can buy countless edibles online in Canada, from gummies to chocolates and pastries to dried fruit.

People love edibles because they offer an intense high and are an easy way to consume. Their effects are typically long-lasting, making them great for medical users looking for pain relief throughout the day. And they don’t have any of the risks associated with smoking, which is a concern for some users.

One big question first-time users often ask is: which is better, sativa or indica? If you’re thinking of buying your first edibles online, here’s everything you need to know to make the right choice.

Sativa vs. Indica: What’s the Difference?

A quick intro to the terms sativa and indica: These two labels are used to split strains of cannabis into two broad groups, and these distinctions have been around for decades.

Typically, sativa strains are described as energizing and uplifting. Indicas, on the other hand, are sedating strains that might leave you locked to the couch.

However, when we start digging into the science, it’s not as simple as that. The labels sativa and indica were first used by scientists in the 1700s. They described how the cannabis plants looked. Sativas had long, thin leaves and stood tall, while indicas were shorter, bushier plants.

Those physical characteristics don’t necessarily relate directly to the experience a particular strain provides. That experience depends on the amount of THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids and terpenes in a strain.

That said, many cannabis connoisseurs still swear by the indica/sativa distinction. So you’ll see these labels used everywhere to describe strains that are sedating vs. energizing. This means it’s still a helpful way to understand the experience a particular strain will offer.

How Are Indica and Sativa Edibles Made?

Edibles were traditionally made by cooking weed into butter and then using that butter to make sweet treats. And making your own DIY edibles is still a great option—just beware, it might be hard to know your dose!

These days, the process is a bit more sophisticated, often involving CO2 extraction of cannabinoids from the cannabis plant. Those cannabinoids are then infused into edibles like gummies and chocolates.

The best edibles you buy online in Canada will be made by carefully cooking cannabis to preserve all the different cannabinoids. This process will preserve the effects you’d expect from smoking the same strain. An indica will offer deep relaxation, while a sativa will energize you.

How Cannabis Edibles Affect Your Body

If you choose to buy edibles online in Canada, remember that they will affect you differently from your usual bud. That’s because when you eat edibles, the cannabinoids are processed by your liver; whereas when you smoke, cannabinoids can enter your bloodstream directly through your lungs.

When we ingest cannabis, it takes time for the liver to break down the cannabinoids and release them into our bloodstream. The effects can also vary between different people, depending on our genetics, age, or even how much we’ve eaten that day.

This means edibles can:

• Take longer to affect you—if you don’t feel anything, wait at least an hour before taking more, just to be safe
• Be more potent—THC enters the bloodstream more easily through the liver, so don’t be surprised if you have a more intense high from an edible than a joint
• Be harder to dose—it’s notoriously tricky to get the dose right with homemade edibles (luckily, with the professionally made edibles you can buy online in Canada, it’s much easier to know how much you’ve taken … but if in doubt, go slow)

What to Expect from Sativa Edibles

Broadly, sativa edibles will give you an energy boost and leave you feeling uplifted or euphoric. You might be giggly, talkative, and more sociable. Some people find sativas make them more creative and productive too. A sativa high is often described as a “mind-high” with relatively few effects on your body.

In general, sativas have a higher THC content and lower CBD content. Sativas are best suited to social environments like parties or times when you want to be productive. They’re more suited to daytime use than indicas are.

For medical users, sativa edibles can help treat depression, nausea, and migraines and increase appetite.

What to Expect from Indica Edibles

Indica edibles will leave you feeling profoundly relaxed and blissed out. Indicas are known for their sedating properties and are best saved for nighttime use.

Their high is often felt most in the body. Your body will relax, and it may be hard to get off the couch! With higher CBD content and less THC, indicas are great for medical users seeking to reduce pain and inflammation or muscle spasms.

Because of their sedative effects, indicas can also be great for treating anxiety or just relieving some stress at the end of the day.

What to Consider When You Buy Edibles Online in Canada

If you’re planning to buy edibles online in Canada for the first time, here’s a few things you might want to consider:

• Choose your strain carefully. Like with any form of cannabis, the strain will have a significant effect on your experience. Look for labels like “sativa” and “indica” or words like “uplifting” and “relaxing,” to give you an idea of what to expect from a particular edible.
• Pay attention to the dose. Most edibles come in 10mg servings, but that could be too much if it’s your first time. Try 5mg to start with—you can always take more later if you’re having fun.
• Check out the THC and CBD content. Edibles will be labelled with their THC and CBD content (e.g., 100mg THC). The amount of each cannabinoid will significantly affect your experience, so choose something that works for what you need.

Indica vs. Sativa Edibles: Which is Best?

There’s no one right answer to the question: which is best? It all depends on what you’re looking for! For an energetic, creative buzz, we’d choose a sativa edible. For a chilled-out night in, we’d turn to an indica instead. With so many edibles available to buy online in Canada, the choice is yours!