Ganja Guides

Sativa vs Indica Edibles: What’s the Difference?

edibles chocolate sativa

Cannabis strains come in all shapes and sizes, creating endless choices of flavor profiles and strain qualities to add to an edible. Whether you want to choose the right pre-made edible or you’re making them by hand, knowing more about the strain you’re using allows for top-tier customization. By consuming weed according to the choice between indica and sativa edibles, you can upgrade your favorite snack with a delightful and personal high. Read more below to see whether indica vs sativa edibles fit your desires best!

Photo: Unsplash

Difference Between Indica and Sativa Edibles

When cannabis is grown, each batch of nugs is unqiue because of the variation in THC percentage, flavor profiles, and the terpenes found in the flower. Indica and sativa are names that distinguish the many variations of marijuana by their generally different effects, making it easier to categorize the endless strains being harvested today. While indica usually has a calming effect, sativa is typically quite uplifting.

Indica Edibles 

Eating indica edibles is essentially like booking yourself a one-way ticket to Chilltown. Edibles infused with indica-dominant cannabis offer a more relaxing and full-body high. You’ve probably smoked an indica strain from a glass bong or pipe but edibles notoriously hit much harder. After about an hour of consuming a true indica strain, you might feel a sense of heaviness and euphoria that can glue any stoner to the couch. Many people prefer to eat indica edibles during a night home with some movies or video games, but that’s not all! Eating indica edibles immediately improves any rainy day inside, midday naps, and slow strolls outside. Some classic indica strains include Gorilla Glue, OG Kush, and Skywalker. 

indica edibles
Gummies is a popular indica edible option! (Source: Unsplash)


Sativa Edibles 

The bolder and more energizing of the two, sativa edibles induce a more cerebral high than the indica counterpart. If eaten in small doses, sativa edibles help to increase focus and uplift your mood. On the other hand, eating a larger dose of sativa edibles creates a dizzy, euphoric, and very giggly effect. They’re ideal for jazzing up plans with friends, adding creativity to crafts and games, or for whenever you need a good laugh! Be careful, because overconsuming potent sativa edibles can cause paranoia or anxiety, especially for beginners. Some of the most famous sativa strains include Trainwreck, Lemon Jack, and Strawberry Cough. 

Sativa edibles: Perfect for nights out! (Source: Wikimedia Commons)


Hybrid Edibles 

When making homemade edibles with flower or oil, mixing both indica and sativa into your recipe creates a blend of several effects. However, if one strain is more potent than the other, it will typically be more overpowering in the edible. When buying weed or edibles in advance, many strains are not solely sativa or indica but their profiles are already a hybrid of the two categories. Created to combine the best qualities of both strains, hybrid cannabis buds typically fall somewhere in the middle. This provides both a head-focused and body-focused high. If both sativa and indica edibles sound great to you, consider giving hybrid edibles a try!

Edible Dosage Guide

Before eating your edibles, it’s important to know that the high from eating or drinking weed-infused products takes longer to kick in than when smoking and vaping cannabis flower and concentrates. Any beginner edible eater is suggested to take 5-10 mg dose and wait an hour before eating more. Seasoned stoners should start with about a 25-30mg dose before eating more. While pre-packaged edibles provide a very accurate dosage, the most fun way to make your own edibles is by making cannabutter with an easy ratio and using it in delicious recipes! If you’re wondering what to cook, find some scrumptious everyday recipes here, or try some super easy no-bake recipes in this article

Try sativa and indica strains in baked goods! (Source: Pexels)

Final Note on Indica vs Sativa Edibles 

There’s no denying that every knowledgeable stoner knows all about the differences between sativa and indica edibles, and many have a very strong preference as to which is better. However, some weed enthusiasts report that there’s barely a difference between the two and that other factors play just as important a role in THC’s effects. Even though indica and sativa indicators are fairly reliable in summarizing how terpenes and cannabinoids affect one’s high, other factors like the time of day and your energy can play a large role in the high too. Either way, knowing your way around indica and sativa strains makes it easier to generally differentiate weed descriptions. Now, you can walk away ready to conquer the world of edibles!

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About Olivia

Olivia, our Oakland-based cannabis guides writer, graduated from the University of California Berkeley with a Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. She's an independent writer, cannabis enthusiast and Sales Lead at her local dispensary. She's also a recent grad, history buff, and has a passion for animals. You can reach her at [email protected].