Tonic water (or Indian tonic water) is a
carbonated soft drink in which
quinine
Quinine is a medication used to treat malaria and babesiosis. This includes the treatment of malaria due to '' Plasmodium falciparum'' that is resistant to chloroquine when artesunate is not available. While sometimes used for nocturnal leg ...
is dissolved. Originally used as a
prophylactic against
malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. ...
, tonic water usually has a significantly lower quinine content and is consumed for its distinctive
bitter flavor, though nowadays it is often sweetened. It is frequently used in
mixed drinks, particularly in
gin and tonic.
History
As early as the 17th century the Spanish used quinine from the bark of
Cinchona trees to treat malaria after being shown the remedy from the Indigenous peoples of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador.
In early 19th century
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
and other tropical posts of the
British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...
, medicinal quinine was recommended to British officials and soldiers to prevent
malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. ...
,
where it was mixed with soda and sugar to mask its bitter taste, creating tonic water.
The first commercial tonic water was produced in 1858 when it was patented by the owner of Pitt & Co., Erasmus Bond. The mixed drink
gin and tonic also originated in
British colonial India, when the British mixed their medicinal quinine tonic with
gin and other ingredients to make the bitter medicine more palatable. Soldiers in India were already given a gin ration, so the sweet concoction was easy to make. In 1868 the first known record of a gin and tonic was in the “Oriental Sporting Magazine” and was described as a refreshing cocktail for spectators of horse racing, not as a medicine.
Quinine content
Medicinal tonic water originally contained only
carbonated water
Carbonated water (also known as soda water, sparkling water, fizzy water, club soda, water with gas, in many places as mineral water, or especially in the United States as seltzer or seltzer water) is water containing dissolved carbon dioxide gas, ...
and a large amount of quinine. Most modern tonic waters contain comparatively less quinine, and are often enhanced by citrus flavors. As a result of the lower quinine content, tonic water is less bitter. It is also usually sweetened, often with the addition of
high-fructose corn syrup or sugar. Some manufacturers also produce diet (or "slimline") tonic water, which may contain artificial sweeteners such as
aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial non- saccharide sweetener 200 times sweeter than sucrose and is commonly used as a sugar substitute in foods and beverages. It is a methyl ester of the aspartic acid/phenylalanine dipeptide with the trade na ...
. Traditional-style tonic water with high amounts of quinine and carbonated water is less common, but may be preferred by those who desire the bitter flavor.
In the United States, the US
Food and Drug Administration
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...
(FDA) limits the quinine content in tonic water to 83
ppm (83mg per liter), while the daily therapeutic dose of quinine is in the range of 500–1000mg, and 10mg/kg every eight hours for effective malaria prevention (2100mg daily for a adult). It is often recommended as a relief for leg
cramps, but medical research suggests some care is needed in monitoring doses. Because of quinine's risks, the FDA cautions consumers against using "off-label" quinine drugs to treat leg cramps.
Use
Tonic water is often used as a
drink mixer
Drink mixers are the non-alcoholic ingredients in mixed drinks and cocktails. Mixers dilute the drink, lowering the alcohol by volume in the drink. They change, enhance, or add new flavors to a drink. They may make the drink sweeter, more sour, ...
for
cocktail
A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink. Most commonly, cocktails are either a combination of spirits, or one or more spirits mixed with other ingredients such as tonic water, fruit juice, flavored syrup, or cream. Cocktails vary widely acr ...
s, especially
gin and tonic.
Vodka tonic is also popular. Tonic water with
lemon or
lime juice added is often known as
bitter lemon
Bitter lemon is a bitter lemon flavoured soft drink. Its signature taste is a result of inherently bitter lemon pith being reinforced by the bitter alkaloid quinine.
The principal difference between tonic water and bitter lemon is the lemon ...
or bitter lime. It is popular for its signature bitter but sweet taste. Another use of tonic water is in coffee. The ''espresso & tonic'' was created in Helsingborg, Sweden at Koppi Roasters after a staff party where they mixed tonic water, syrup, and an espresso. Since 2007, the drink has grown in popularity in Scandinavia, Europe, and the United States.
Negative effects
Tonic water is known to cause
fixed eruptions, which is a type of skin reaction to drugs, due to the quinine content. Various scientific journals have reported the repeated intake of tonic water can cause fixed eruptions with varying severity, with one reporting the onset of
Stevens–Johnson syndrome. The cases of fixed eruptions were seen after the patients drank tonic water, by itself or mixed with gin. Some symptoms of the fixed eruptions include pigmented macules, high fever, erythematous plaques, and bullous. There is a higher chance of reaction if someone has an abnormal heart rhythm or low blood sugar, is pregnant, or has kidney or liver diseases.
Fluorescence
The quinine in tonic water will
fluoresce under
ultraviolet light
Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30 PHz) to 400 nm (750 THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiatio ...
. In fact, quinine will visibly fluoresce in direct sunlight against a dark background. The quinine molecules release energy as light instead of heat, which is more common. The state is not stable and the molecules will eventually return to a ground state and no longer glow.
See also
*
Água de Inglaterra
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
Carbonated water
Drink mixers
Quinine
Soft drinks
Products introduced in 1858