Slow Cow
| File:SlowCow logo2.png | |
| Type | Relaxation beverage |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Slow Cow Drink Inc. |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Introduced | December 2008 |
| Website | www |
Slow Cow is a relaxation beverage[1] produced in Quebec, Canada by the company Slow Cow Drink Inc.[2] Dubbed an "anti-energy" drink,[3][4][5] it was created to "help people slow down" and parodied Red Bull by using packaging similar to that of the popular energy drink.[3][5] Slow Cow was launched in Quebec in December 2008,[6] with plans to sell the product in the rest of Canada, and in France, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, the United States, Russia, Italy, China and the Czech Republic.[3]
Slow Cow's main ingredient is L-Theanine which, according to the manufacturer, "produces a feeling of relaxation and creates a feeling of well-being."[7]
History
Slow Cow was developed by Lino Fleury in Quebec. He noted that while there were plenty of energy drinks available, there were no beverages to "help people slow down when they are stressed."[3] Because of the caffeine present in energy drinks, he said that they were inclined to "increase anxiety, not reduce it."[3] Fleury and his team began developing the relaxation drink in 2006 using mostly natural ingredients that would calm the drinker without inducing drowsiness.[3][5]
When the finished product was launched in December 2008, it was packaged to parody Red Bull. The can was of a similar shape and size of the popular energy drink, and the logo featured two cows relaxing to contrast the two bulls fighting in the Red Bull logo.[3] After the launch, Red Bull GmbH sent Slow Cow Drink Inc. a formal notice to close, claiming that Slow Cow's packaging copied Red Bull's.[5] While Fleury admitted to the similar packaging, he said that his lawyers "are confident they will win this case." [3]
Ingredients
Slow Cow's principal ingredient is L-Theanine,[4] an amino acid found in tea plants that increases levels of GABA in the brain, which is said to produce a "feeling of relaxation and [...] well-being" "without causing sleepiness".[7] L-Theanine is also said to increase mental awareness, cognition, and concentration.[7] Michael Lyon, head of the Canadian Centre for Functional Medicine in Vancouver, believes that L-Theanine "is the best-kept secret in natural medicine".[3]
Other ingredients include extracts of chamomile, a daisy-like plant with "a calming agent to fend off stress [...] and ease digestion", passiflora, a genus of about 500 species of flowering plants with "anti-depressant and relaxing" properties, valerian, a herb that "relieves symptoms of nervousness", Tilia cordata, a linden tree known for "facilitating sleep", and hops, a "nerve calming" flowering plant.[7]
The ingredient quantities per 250 ml can are:
- L-Theanine – 100 mg
- Chamomile – 75 mg
- Passiflora – 75 mg
- Valerian – 75 mg
- Linden – 50 mg
- Hops – 50 mg
- Sodium - 82 mg
- Potassium - 22 mg
References
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