All about vaporizing herbs: benefits and risks, overview of the best herbs and vaporizers

10. 09. 2024

• What is vaporization of herbs?
• Vaping herbs and health: Is vaping herbs safe?
• Table of benefits and risks of vaping herbs
• Would you like a dried herb and/or herbal extract?
• How to prepare herbs for vaporization
• 3 tips on tools for preparing dry herbs
• Steps to prepare herbs for vaporization
• Overview: what are the best herbs to vaporize?
• Examples of vaporizers for herbs and herbal extracts
• Conclusion: storage of herbs and extracts

What is vaporization of herbs?

Vaporization (inhalation) of herbs is an activity in which herbs are heated to a temperature that releases their active ingredients in the form of vapour, which is then inhaled through the mouthpiece of a vaporizer. If vaporisation is carried out correctly, the herbs are not burned as they are in traditional smoking.

Vaping herbs and health: Is vaping herbs safe?

Overall, vaporising herbs is considered a healthier alternative to smoking, but even this is not entirely without risk.

Potential risks of vaping herbs include:

• Possible exposure to toxins: Although vaporization reduces the amount of harmful chemicals, it can still release some potentially dangerous substances, especially if the herbs are heated at higher temperatures.
• Possible contamination of herbs: Herbs can be contaminated with undesirable substances such as pesticides, heavy metals and fungi.
• Potential respiratory problems: vaping can irritate the respiratory tract and cause health problems, especially in people who already have respiratory problems. With long-term use, some individuals may develop chronic respiratory problems.
• Potential risk of addiction: tobacco or cannabis contain psychoactive or addictive ingredients (nicotine or THC) that can lead to addiction.

Despite the fact that vaping herbs is more health-friendly than smoking, it should be added that scientific studies have not yet fully investigated the long-term effects of vaping herbs.

Even when vaporizing, it is important to be aware of the possible risks and it is also necessary to take proper care of the vaporizer and the material being inhaled to minimize any health problems.

 

Table of benefits and risks of vaping herbs

The following table shows the benefits/risks of vaping herbs.

Vaping herbs
Benefits	Risks
Vaping releases more of the active ingredients from the herbs, increasing efficiency and reducing the amount of material consumed.	Possible allergy or hypersensitivity to an herb
Precise dosage control	Herbs can be contaminated with fungi, pesticides and heavy metals.
Vaporisation heats the herbs to a lower temperature so that harmful combustion-related products such as tar and carbon monoxide are not released.	Some individuals may experience side effects such as dry mouth, throat irritation and other respiratory symptoms.   With long-term use, some individuals may develop chronic respiratory problems.

Would you like a dried herb and/or herbal extract?

Deciding between dried herbs and herbal extracts? Check out this overview for basic information and individual advantages/disadvantages.

	Dried herbs	Herbal extracts
Description	Herbs that are allowed to dry to preserve their active ingredients and extend their shelf life.   Drying is carried out by various methods, such as:   natural air drying drying at low temperatures drying with modern technologies	Concentrated forms of herbs that are obtained by extracting the active ingredients from plants using various solvents such as:   water alcohol oil other chemicals
Image	classic dried herbs e.g. from the garden herbal mixtures	Different forms depending on the extraction method and purpose of use:   liquid extracts oils powder mould capsules tinctures
Vaporization temperature	Varies, depending on the specific herb, generally 125-200 °C.	The inhalation temperature of herbal extracts depends on their form and composition.   In the case of oil extracts, temperatures may be lower to avoid damage to the active ingredients.
Types of vaporizers	Conduction vaporizers for dry herbs, suitable for portable, desktop, manual vaporizers and vaporizer pens	Convection flow equipment for concentrates and oils, desktop or portable vaporizers and vaporizing pens can be purchased
Benefits	Dried herbs only Wide use Lower purchase price	Higher concentration of active ingredients Faster onset of effects Easier to use (no need to grind herbs) Longer durability
Disadvantages	Lower concentration of active ingredients than herbal extracts Necessary preparation of herbs	Higher purchase price Possible loss of some natural components during extraction

How to prepare herbs for vaporization

When you prepare your dry herbs for vaporization by grinding them, they will optimally release the active ingredients while providing an overall better inhaling experience.

Below you will find the appropriate tools and steps to properly prepare dry herbs.

3 tips on tools for preparing dry herbs

1. Grinders: grinds herbs into smaller pieces, allowing for even heating and effective release of aromas and oils. A variety of grinders are available, the choice is a matter of preference.

For example, you can get the iconic metal grinder from Dutch brand Bulldog, the stylish and elegant Best Buds Flat Square Flamingo aluminium grinder, which is ideal for easily grinding all kinds of dry herbs, or the sleek and ergonomic OTTO from Banana Bros, which turns dry herbs into the perfect consistency in just seconds at the touch of a button.

 

2. Storage containers: storing herbs in suitable storage containers is important to maintain their freshness and quality. They help keep herbs in a dry and dark environment, which is ideal for long-term storage.
3. Vaporizing tools and accessories.

Steps to prepare herbs for vaporization

1. Choose your herbs and crush them: Choose good quality dried herbs and use a crusher or grinder to crush them evenly.
2. Fill the vaporizer: evenly fill the heating chamber of the vaporizer with crushed herbs. Be careful not to press too hard on each other, as this may prevent optimal air flow.
3. Set the appropriate temperature: set the vaporizer to the recommended temperature for the herb you want to inhale. Different herbs may require different temperatures for optimal vaporization, see the overview: what are the best herbs to vaporize.
4. Don't forget to clean: after vaping, clean the vaporizer regularly to prevent the accumulation of residues that affect not only the taste of the herbs, but also the potency.

 

Overview: what are the best herbs to vaporize?

In this table you will find an overview of the best herbs for vaporization, including possible properties, uses and suitable temperatures for vaporization.

Tips on the best herbs for vaporization	Possible properties of the herb	Usage	Main bioactive component	Suitable temperature for vaporisation
Blue lotus (water lily or sacred blue lily)	Sedative, calming, slightly euphoric, psychoactive	Meditation, relaxation and sleep support	Aporphine (alkaloid)	125 °C
Lavender	Soothing and anti-inflammatory	Aromatherapy, stress relief and sleep support	Linalool (terpene)	130 °C
Linden	Soothing, aiding digestion and detoxification	Relaxation and sleep support	Flavonoids	160-180 °C
Peppermint	Soothing property on the digestive system, refreshing	Aromatherapy, headache relief and digestive support	Menthol (terpene)	170 °C
Lemon balm	Calms nerves, antiviral	Promoting mental well-being and sleep	Citronellal (terpenoid)	142 °C
Nettle	Anti-inflammatory properties, rich in nutrients	Detoxification and blood support	Iron, vitamins, minerals	200 °C
Birch	Detoxifying and anti-rheumatic	Detoxification and immunity support	Betulin (triterpene)	175 °C
Hops	Soothing	Sleep support, used in herbal blends designed for relaxation	Myrcene (terpene)	190 °C
Calendula	Promotes skin health and healing, anti-inflammatory	Help with skin problems and promote wound healing	Lutein (carotenoid)	160 °C
Basil	Antioxidant and antimicrobial	Aromatherapy and soothing of the digestive tract	Linalool (terpene)	130 °C
Chamomile	Soothing and anti-inflammatory	Sleep support and help with digestive and respiratory problems	Bisabolol (sesquiterpene)	190 °C
Eucalyptus	Antiseptic	Help with respiratory problems and relief from stuffy nose	Eucalyptol (terpene)	130 °C
Ibisek	Metabolic and antioxidant support	Promoting heart health and blood pressure	Antokians	130 °C
Sage	Anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial	Aromatherapy, relieve excessive sweating (suitable for women in transition)	Thujone (terpene)	190 °C
St. John's Wort	Mental health support, calming	Helps relieve mild depression and nervous conditions	Hypericin (phenol derivative)	175 °C
Valerian	Soothing, sleep promoting	Used to help with insomnia and anxiety	Valerian Acid (seskviterpen)	200 °C
Thyme	Antimicrobial, respiratory support	Helps with respiratory infections	Thymol (phenol)	175 °C
Passion flower	Soothing and sleep support	Helps fight nervousness and promotes sleep	Harman (alkaloid)	150 °C
Cannabis	Various therapeutic potential, it contains cannabinoids such as CBD, CBN, CBG and THC.	Traditionally, industrial hemp has been used for various industrial purposes. For example, CBD is used to relieve pain and inflammation, promote mental health and help with sleep problems.		180-220 °C
Tobacco	Stimulant, contains the highly addictive substance nicotine	It is used for its stimulating properties	Nicotine (alkaloid)	180-200 °C

Examples of vaporizers for herbs and herbal extracts

If you want to buy a vaporizer for herbs or herbal extracts, it is a good idea to compare several models and their specifications. Vaporizers differ not only in size, but also in the way they heat up and other features. In this table you will find an overview of the most popular and affordable vaporizers.

Type of vaporizers	Model	Specifications
Vaporizing pen	Flowermate Aura	suitable for dry herbs discreet vaporizer fits easily in your pocket conduction heating
Pocket-sized and portable	PAX PLUS Vaporizer - Onyx - Complete set	suitable for dry herbs or solid concentrates discreet use many functions even without a smartphone app
Desktop	Arizer Extreme Q	suitable for vaporising herbal mixtures multifunctional vaporizer conventional heating remote control system balloon filling system steam hose
Manual	Flip Brick	suitable for dry herbs manual heating without battery conventional heating

Tip: You can find great vaporizers at lower prices from global brands, for example, unboxed, tested or used, in the online vaporizer bazaar.

Conclusion: storage of herbs and extracts

In order for herbs and extracts to retain their active substances, aroma and taste, it is necessary to follow a few basic rules when storing them.

The best choice for storing dried herbs and extracts is airtight containers that prevent airflow and protect the material from light. For example, purple glass containers are ideal, as they block the full spectrum of visible light except UV rays, which helps keep herbs fresh for longer.

Get, for example, the Miron airtight purple glass container, the Qnuba California vacuum canister, the resealable pocket canister or the Oil Black Leaf container with silicone interior.

 

Author: HotHouse Cucumber

 

   

Photo: Shutterstock

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