If you are a marijuana stoner, mangoes should be your new favorite fruit. Some people believe that mango and weed will lead to faster, stronger, and longer lasting highs. These effects can in part be described by similarities in the chemical makeup of mangoes and marijuana flowers.

Myrcene, which is the terpene responsible for giving mangoes their unique smell, is also found in high concentrations in hops and cannabis. Myrcene has a light earthy and fruity clove like odor in small amounts, but in higher concentrations like those found in hoppy beers, the odor can be much stronger. A Swiss study of 16 different marijuana strains showed that myrcene was the most common terpene present in each plant. The presence of myrcene in marijuana and mangoes is the connection that begins to explain why mangoes can get you higher.

Since the 1970’s scientists have been aware that myrcene can increase the permeability of cell membranes in the human body. Simply, when the myrcene found in mangoes is ingested, it makes cell membranes in the brain more receptive for absorbing the cannabinoids that travel in your marijuana smoke. Basically, mango and weed is a great combination.

Myrcene rich plants have been used in Brazil for therapeutic purposes including pain relief, anti-inflammatory medicine, sleep aid, and even diabetic medications. These applications parallel many of the medicinal uses of marijuana.

Those who have experienced increased highs as a result of eating mangoes suggest that the absorption time of THC was cut from 7 seconds to just 4. This is promising for the impatient smoker on their smoke sesh, but remember that you should eat the ripest mango you can find at least 45 minutes before you smoke. Start packing a mango in your bag to eat as a snack on your way home from work.

Speaking of snacks, another benefit of mixing mangoes into your smoking ritual, is that they are a healthy choice for the munchies. Rich in vitamin A and C, you will enjoy a juicy vitamin-rich alternative to the ever-present soda and candy.

For medical marijuana patients, eating mangoes can be a great way to prolong the pain relieving effects you find from smoking.

Another thing to keep in mind when eating mangoes to increase your high is your metabolism. It may seem obvious, but if you have a fast metabolism you will want to consume larger amounts of the fruit prior to smoking. Again, being sure to select the ripest mangoes you can find will assist in overcoming higher metabolism.

The verdict is in—mangoes do increase the effects of smoking marijuana. Users will find that their high seems more efficient while their bodies will enjoy all the added vitamins and nutrition found in the tasty fruit.

The presence of myrcene in marijuana and mangoes is the connection that begins to explain why mangoes can get you higher. Since the 1970’s scientists have been aware that myrcene can increase the permeability of cell membranes in the human body. Basically, mango and weed is a great combination.

But one of its lesser-known qualities is that the myrcene allows THC to pass through the blood brain barrier much faster. On average, it takes THC seven seconds to reach the brain after inhaling. But if you eat a mango — or a mango smoothie — 90 minutes before smoking, you could potentially halve that time.

In laymen’s terms, myrcene helps deliver THC to the brain quicker. The normal blood-brain rate is seven seconds. With the help of the mango that time can be cut in half. The myrcene found in mangos can also lengthen the high and make your smoke last twice as long.

The time it takes for the THC to have an effect on the brain after inhalation is roughly seven seconds however, by eating a mango up to one hour prior to smoking the time it takes for THC to reach the brain and have an effect could be cut in half.

Jonathan is a Marketing Consultant by day and a Weedtuber by night. He holds an MBA in Entrepreneurial Studies from Fairleigh Dickinson University; an MS in Computer Science from the College of New Rochelle and a BFA in Graphic Design and Photography from the Ringling College of Art and Design. Jonathan’s primary consulting focuses on customer journey mapping, competitor and analytic analysis as well as search engine optimization. Jonathan has written numerous articles for the Huffington Post as well as a variety of marketing industry websites and journals. In 2015, Jonathan suffered from a ruptured disk in his back causing terrible pain. Doctors prescribed numerous pain killers that only made Jonathan more sedentary. Looking for an alternative to suggested surgery, Jonathan obtained a New Jersey medical marijuana card. Since then Jonathan has become an advocate for medical use of cannabis. When he’s not consulting or making episodes of The Johno Show he has season tickets to his favorite MLS soccer team the New York Red Bulls Arena.