Slow Cow Smooth Drink Review

Slow Cow is the opposite of an energy drink. It does not contain caffeine, it contains extracts which are supposed to ease your mind and body. The ingredients label lists valerian, chamomile, passiflora, hops and linden as the active ingredients. There is also L-Theanine, which is supposed to reduce mental and physical stress. I got this from 7-11 for $2.99 CAD and it was in their energy drink section, but off to the side. I have never had anything like this that is supposed to "slow you down" so I cannot wait to see what he effects will be.

The beverage is pale blue in color, similar to watered down blueberry Jell-o. It is slightly carbonated and tastes a lot like blueberry Jell-o too, very similar to the Liquid Ice taste. There is a hint of artificial sweeteners in the taste and aftertaste. The sweetness builds up as you drink the beverage. It is not a bad tasting drink overall.

Alright, the effects. Around 10 minutes after I drank half the can I started noticing my eyelids getting heavier, but I was not getting sleepy, just a bit tired. I was starting to feel very calm as well. I was expecting to also feel focused, which I did not. After I finished the can and waited for 20-30 minutes, I actually wanted to take a nap. I don't know if this was a placebo effect, or if I was experiencing a caffeine crash (I had a cup of coffee several hours earlier). After half an hour I was actually having some problems writing this. I tried a bit of reading, but I couldn't concentrate. Well, this really slowed me down, but I was expecting it to stop at some point, not put me down. This can be a great drink if you are having problems falling asleep or just want to calm down a bit if you are experiencing jitters...though I wouldn't recommend mixing energy drinks and this, the chemicals might have a dangerous effect on your system.

OK, a little over an hour went by and I was feeling fine - calm and somewhat focused. It was around 19:00 and I was not feeling the need for caffeine to stay up for another 3-4 hours. Once you get past the heavy eyelids phase, this drink does work. Perhaps you are supposed to take a powernap after consuming the beverage. Next time I have this I will try the powernap combo to see how it works.

Scores:
Cost - $2.99 CAD
Taste - 7.1/10
Effectiveness - 9/10...I really have no benchmark for this so it is difficult to judge. I will revisit this soon

Overall - 16.1/20...this will really "slow yo roll"