Tonic water is naturally gluten free, even flavored varieties with added sweeteners. In this article, we’ll tell you about the history of tonic water, what it tastes like, what ingredients are in it, and the nutritional facts about it.
About Tonic Water

Tonic water derives from the Greek word which means “invigorating,” which describes exactly its original purpose. Quinine, the chemical added to carbonated water to make tonic water, was originally extracted from the cinchona tree in South America and used to treat malaria.
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While Erasmus Bond held the first official patent for tonic water in 1858, Johann Jacob Schweppe put it on the market with a lime infused version of tonic water. In the original recipes of tonic water, the concentration of quinine was much higher than it is today making it extremely bitter to taste. Nowadays, sweeteners are added to cut the bitterness and the amount of quinine is much less.
There are many companies which produce tonic water such as Canada Dry, Coca Cola, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, and Schweppes. Some people like to drink tonic water straight while others prefer to mix it with other beverages. Pomegranate, lime, cranberry, and grapefruit juices are common nonalcoholic mixers with tonic water, while gin is a classic alcoholic beverage to use to make a gin and tonic.
Ingredients
Tonic water is simply water that has carbonated with quinine added to it. Quinine is a chemical which provides a naturally bitter taste so most companies which produce tonic water also add sweeteners or fruit acids to make it more appealing.
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Nutritional Information

Serving Size |
11 fluid ounces |
Calories |
114 |
Calories from Fat |
0 |
Cholesterol |
0 milligrams |
Fiber |
0 grams |
Protein |
0 grams |
Total Fat |
0 grams |
Sugar |
30 grams |
Sodium |
40 milligrams |
Total Carbohydrate |
30 grams |