Flavorants vs Flavonoids

One influences flavor and aroma, and the other influences color! Discover the important differences between cannabis flavorants and flavonoids.

Cannabis science is evolving, and that’s a good thing! Cutting-edge analytical tools have provided much-needed insights into the chemistry, biology, and applications of the cannabis plant. This rapid expansion of knowledge can have a steep learning curve, though. 

TL;DR: Flavorants are for flavor, flavonoids are for color. Read on to find out why.

In trying to grasp the growing chemical complexity of cannabis, it’s understandable that nuanced terms and concepts might be misused or misunderstood. This is happening more and more as we continue to identify new secondary metabolites, from sweet and savory flavorants to vivid polyphenols like flavonoids.

The issue? People have been using these terms interchangeably.

Their names might sound similar, but they have very different characteristics. One influences aroma and flavor, while the other gives bold bursts of color to our favorite plant. When we use these terms correctly, consumers can make more informed decisions, and we show that the cannabis industry is reputable and research-driven.

That’s why we collaborated with Natural Learning Enterprises to shed light on these terms and their equally fascinating but chemically distinct compound classes. Read on and learn the important differences between flavorants and flavonoids, how this information influences consumer experience, and MORE.

Want all the data and chemistry deep dives? Read our white paper for the full breakdown!

What Are Cannabis Flavorants?

Cannabis flavorants are non-terpene compounds found in low concentrations and are responsible for the plant’s unique and diverse aromas. These compounds aren’t exclusive to cannabis and can be present in a variety of organic sources, from other botanicals to mammalian feces (gross, but true). 

Regardless of where you find them, the most important thing to remember is that flavorants are compounds that enhance the aroma and/or flavor of something. When it comes to cannabis, terpenes were previously believed to be responsible for the vast array of funky, fruity, dank, and savory aromas produced by cannabis. Today, we know that’s not the whole picture. 

Our Science of Exotic Cannabis research revealed their impact wasn’t as influential as previously thought. Cultivars with very different aromas could share the same dominant terpenes, so something was obviously missing. When we compared flavorant compounds, however, there were much clearer distinctions between varieties. Voila! 

So, while terpenes do contribute to aroma, flavorants play a much more significant role. We’ve since identified more than sixty unique flavorants, including compounds like ketones, esters, aldehydes, heterocycles, and more.

For example, skatole, or 3-Methyl-1H-indole, is a naturally occurring heterocyclic compound found in savory cannabis varieties like GMO. Tropicannasulfur compounds (TCSCs) like 3-mercaptohexyl acetate (3MHA) and 3-mercaptohexyl butyrate (3MHB) contribute to the loud tropical aromas of some cultivars like Tangie.

Even when found in parts per billion (or trillion), flavorants significantly impact aroma and are easy to pick up on. That’s because flavorants are highly volatile. Basically, these compounds readily enter the gas stage, which makes them easily detectable by the human nose.

One thing they don’t do? Flavorants do NOT contribute to the color of cannabis. For that, let’s take a look at flavonoids.

What Are Flavonoids? What is the Function of Flavonoids?

Unlike flavorants, flavonoids contribute little to no aroma. Confused? We get it. The term LOOKS like it should be about flavor, but the word's origin actually has nothing to do with flavor! The word flavonoid is derived from the Latin word "flavus," which means "yellow." It helps to think of flavonoids as nature’s paint palette. 

When you see leaves or flowers with yellow, orange, purple, blue, or even pink colors, it’s usually due to flavonoids. These compounds produce the unique blues and purples of your favorite berries, and they’re responsible for some of the incredible bursts of colors you’ll see in deciduous forests during autumn. For example, Quercetin is a flavonoid known for its vibrant yellow color. A subclass of flavonoids, anthocyanins, produce the bluish-purple hues in blackberries and certain cannabis varieties, and blueberries get their distinctive blue shade from a flavonoid called myricetin. 

As we mentioned earlier, however, flavonoids in cannabis really don’t contribute to flavor and aroma. That’s because, while flavorants are very volatile, flavonoids are non-volatile compounds. They don’t readily enter the gas phase, which is necessary for humans to smell them. Flavonoids mostly impart astringency or bitterness, which relates more to aftertaste and mouthfeel than flavor profile. This is on display with a familiar subclass of flavonoids, tannins. 

If you’re a wine enthusiast, you’re probably already familiar with tannins. Wine Enthusiast explains that these compounds in wine “...create a drying sensation in your mouth. They change over time, mellowing with age and evolving in tandem with elements like acidity and alcohol.”¹ If someone describes a wine’s texture as “grippy,” the tannins are immediately noticeable. Conversely, a “plush” wine has a soft texture where the tannins are well-integrated.

Flavonoids, Polyphenols, and Cannflavins

It would be nearly impossible, if not a massive oversight, to talk about flavonoids without devoting part of the conversation to polyphenols as a whole. Chemically speaking, flavonoids are a class of polyphenols. 

You’ve likely heard of the antioxidant properties of these compounds and the health benefits associated with polyphenol-rich diets. The Mediterranean diet,  for example, includes many polyphenol-rich foods like olive oil and red wine. These foods have been studied extensively for their protective benefits due to the antioxidative nature of some polyphenols.²

A phenol is an aromatic ring with a hydroxyl (or alcohol–functional) group attached to it. When you group multiple phenols, you form a polyphenol. Flavonoids are just one class of polyphenol. Others include compounds like stilbenoids, phenolic acids, curcuminoids, tannins, and lignans.

On top of that, there are a variety of flavonoid subclasses defined by similarities in their primary chemical structures. These subclasses include flavonols, flavones, flavanones, flavanols, isoflavones, chalcones, and anthocyanidins. There are even flavonoids unique to the cannabis plant, called Cannflavins, that have distinct qualities compared to other flavonoids.³

Each Cannflavin contains the flavonoid core with an additional prenyl or geranyl functional group (a 5-carbon building block). This additional building block increases their ability to bind to relevant receptors throughout the human body.⁴ For that reason, they’re being actively studied for potential therapeutic applications.

Phew! Still with us? While we’re nerding out over this information, we also understand that consumers might not know or care about the number of phenol rings in a flavonoid. However, that doesn’t mean flavonoids don’t impact consumer preferences.

Do Flavonoids Impact Consumer Preferences?

While flavonoids don’t necessarily impact aroma and flavor, they do influence the way cannabis flower looks… and consumers care about appearances.

Sure, cannabis consumers are becoming more savvy and knowledgeable about their products. However, when it comes to flower, some shoppers have an affinity for “purple” hues because they equate that color with quality, while others prefer it simply for aesthetic purposes. Conversely, some consumers prefer products that possess a lighter, paler color for the exact same reasons.

This consumer behavior isn’t unique to the cannabis industry by any means, either. From garments and kitchen appliances to RTD beverages and mobile phones, consumers take appearances into account. Depending on the consumer, aesthetics can even take precedent over performance, although that varies significantly between industries.

So, even though flavonoids don’t impact flavor or aroma, it would be an oversight to say they don’t influence the way cannabis consumers perceive products. This isn’t innately a good or bad thing, and consumer preferences can change at the drop of a hat. It is, however, something that brands should pay attention to when trying to stay on top of emerging cannabis trends.

Future Flavonoid and Flavorant Research 

We hope this helped you understand the main differences between flavonoids and flavorants, but we still have a LOT of questions.

For example, we’re still trying to figure out if these compounds have a unique relationship to each other. Cannabis flower with purple coloring is sometimes considered sweeter and more exotic. Is it true? Could the presence of flavonoids that produce those colors correlate with higher levels of flavorants known for fruity aromas? We don’t know yet, but we can’t wait to find out!

These are just a few of the questions we want to continue exploring:

1. Are there any important relationships between flavonoids and flavorants in cannabis? 

2. Could a higher concentration of dark-colored flavonoids correlate with greater or lesser amounts of flavorants? 

3. Can cannabis breeders modify their growth regiments to manipulate flavorant expression?

4. Do flavorants or flavonoids influence the therapeutic or psychoactive properties of cannabis? 

Answering questions like these will exponentially expand our understanding of cannabis science. It will also further solidify the chemistry, biology, genetic, and therapeutic potential of cannabis as a rigorous scientific field of study. 

In all honesty, this is just the beginning! Want to know which flavonoid is responsible for the purple hue of some cannabis varieties or why the water sometimes turns purple when making ice hash rosin? Curious how flavonoid knowledge could impact cannabis cultivation efforts? We’ve got all the details in our white paper!

Abstrax Tech | The Leading Experts on Cannabis Chemistry

At Abstrax Tech, we conduct industry-leading, peer-reviewed research on cannabis to push the industry forward with better education and collaboration. We are endlessly passionate about the cannabis industry and will continue promoting excellence in research and innovation. 

Do you have questions about incorporating the latest science in your formulations? Want expert assistance developing the right aroma, flavor, and effects for your products? We’re here to help! 

Are you a researcher interested in collaborating on future studies? Contact our team today, and let’s get to work.

1. Buzzeo, L., & Saladino, E. (2023, May 8). All the Terms Used to Define Tannins (Infographic). Wine Enthusiast. https://www.wineenthusiast.com/basics/how-to-taste/wine-taste-tannins-infographic/

2. Carluccio, M. A., Siculella, L., Ancora, M. A., Massaro, M., Scoditti, E., Storelli, C., Visioli, F., Distante, A., & De Caterina, R. (2003). Olive oil and red wine antioxidant polyphenols inhibit endothelial activation. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 23(4), 622–629. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.atv.0000062884.69432.a0

3. Abdel-Kader, M. S., Radwan, M. M., Metwaly, A. M., Eissa, I. H., Hazekamp, A., & ElSohly, M. A. (2023). Chemistry and biological activities of Cannflavins of the Cannabis Plant. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 8(6), 974–985. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2023.0128

4. Du, Y., Korchi, I., Rubtsov, A. E., & Malkov, A. V. (2023). Catalytic prenylation of natural polyphenols. New Journal of Chemistry, 47(44), 20358–20362. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3nj04371a

Experience Flavorants in Action!

SHOP GMO

As the first to benefit from our breakthrough discovery, GMO is kicking off the next era of botanical aromatics. Flavorants Skatole and Indole multiply its notoriously savory and funky notes for a loud, gassy, and undeniably pungent finish.

SHOP Orange Apricot

Revel in the next evolution of botanical aromatics with bright petroleum-fueled Orange Apricot. Tropicannasulfurs create an exhilarating medley of Tangie-forward citrus with deafeningly loud notes of sweet gas. Welcome to the future.