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Is Tonic Water Good for You? A Dietitian Explains What You Need to Know

Cara Rosenbloom, RDKatie E. Golden, MD
Written by Cara Rosenbloom, RD | Reviewed by Katie E. Golden, MD
Published on September 6, 2024

Key takeaways:

  • Tonic water is a sweetened soda that contains a bitter-tasting chemical compound called quinine. Quinine is actually an ingredient in some medications that treat conditions like malaria.

  • Some people use quinine as a treatment for leg cramps, but this isn’t recommended by healthcare professionals. There isn’t enough quinine in tonic water to treat health conditions.

  • Tonic water is fine to enjoy in small amounts. But, because of the sugar and quinine, it’s best to limit the amount of tonic water you drink.

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Close-up of glass with tonic water.
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Tonic water is probably best known for its role as a mixer in cocktails. This clear carbonated beverage looks identical to many types of carbonated water. But tonic water isn’t just carbonated water. It also contains a compound called quinine, plus sugar or artificial sweeteners. 

Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients in tonic water and how this drink can affect your health.

What is in tonic water?

Tonic water is a clear soda that contains water, sugar, and citric acid. What makes tonic water unique is the addition of quinine. The combination of ingredients in tonic water results in a tart, sweet, and bitter-tasting beverage. 

What is quinine?

Quinine comes from the bark of the cinchona tree and has been used to treat malaria since the 1600s. Though quinine is still used to treat malaria, it’s fallen out of favor as a frontline treatment because it comes with many side effects.

The quinine in tonic water gives the classic gin and tonic cocktail its distinct bittersweet flavor. In fact, gin and tonic cocktails were served to members of the British Royal Navy for the antimalarial effect. These days, though, tonic water is much lower in quinine and doesn’t have an antimalarial effect. 

There are regulations that limit how much quinine can be added to tonic water. The FDA says quinine must not exceed 83 parts per million. That’s equal to 83 mg quinine per liter of tonic water. Plus, the label must clearly list quinine as an additive, in case anyone has a quinine allergy.

Tonic water nutrition facts

Here are the nutrition facts for tonic water.

Nutrient

Tonic water (12 fl oz)

Calories

125 kcal

Protein

0 g

Carbohydrates

32 g

Sugar

32 g

Fat

0 g 

Sodium

45 mg

As the table above shows, tonic water is mostly water and sugar. Tonic water also comes in a sugar-free version, which is made with artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin and/or aspartame. The sugar-free version contains no carbohydrates, sugar, or calories.

Is quinine good or bad for you?

Quinine can be good for you if it’s used as directed by a healthcare professional as a treatment for malaria. But, as mentioned above, there are newer malaria medications that are more commonly used today. This is because there are several potential side effects associated with quinine. 

As an ingredient in tonic water, quinine is safe because of the small dose. But drinking too much tonic water may cause side effects from the quinine, such as:

  • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)

  • Nausea and vomiting

  • Stomach cramps

  • Diarrhea

  • Confusion

Consuming larger amounts of quinine — such as from a medication or supplement — may have additional, more severe side effects, such as:

  • Abnormal heartbeat

  • Severely low blood counts, which can lead to bleeding problems

  • Acute kidney failure

  • Liver toxicity

  • Neurological issues

  • Allergic reactions

Is tonic water good or bad for your health?

Tonic water doesn’t have any real health benefits. 

Some people think tonic water is good for digestion or upset stomach. But there’s no evidence that this is true. 

People also drink tonic water because they’ve heard that quinine can help relieve nighttime leg cramps. But the evidence to support this claim is weak. In fact, the National Library of Medicine cautions against using quinine for leg cramps. They say that it isn’t effective and it may cause health risks, as outlined above.

Does tonic water hydrate the same way as regular water?

No, drinking tonic water isn’t the best way to hydrate due to its high sugar and calorie content. Even though the main ingredient is water (and the word “water” is in its name), tonic water is actually a soda.

The American Heart Association recommends drinking water for the best hydration, since it contains no calories or sugar. 

Tonic water contains 32 g of sugar per 12 oz serving, which is equal to 8 tsp of sugar. For comparison, this is almost the amount of sugar that you’d find in the same amount of cola (37 grams of sugar, or 10 tsp). 

Excess sugar is linked to increased risk of:

  • Heart disease 

  • Diabetes 

  • Weight gain

Plus, studies show that drinking sugary beverages increases risk for kidney disease and kidney stones, among other health conditions.

Who shouldn’t drink tonic water?

There are no specific guidelines for who should avoid tonic water. But some people should avoid quinine medication or supplements. You should avoid quinine if you:

  • Are allergic to quinine

  • Are pregnant or breastfeeding

  • Take certain medications, such as blood thinners, antidepressants, or cholesterol-lowering medications 

  • Have an irregular heartbeat 

  • Have heart, kidney, or liver disease 

If you fall into any of these categories, it’s best to try to limit your tonic water intake.

The bottom line

Tonic water is fine to enjoy in small amounts if you enjoy the taste. But it doesn’t have any health benefits. In fact, it may be harmful in high amounts. As with any soda, tonic water is high in sugar. So, drinking a lot of tonic water can be bad for your blood sugar and metabolic health. And high doses of quinine may lead to serious side effects and organ damage. An occasional tonic drink is unlikely to cause any problems. But, if you have any ongoing medical conditions or take medications, it’s best to check with your primary care provider before drinking tonic water.

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Why trust our experts?

Cara Rosenbloom, RD
Cara Rosenbloom, RD, has been a registered dietitian for 22 years. She began her career working as a dietitian at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).
Meredith Hoffa
Edited by:
Meredith Hoffa
Meredith Hoffa is a senior health editor at GoodRx, where she leads journalists and clinicians covering various well-being topics, particularly in diet and nutrition.
Katie E. Golden, MD
Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

References

American Heart Association. (2024). Rethink your drink: How to reduce sugary drinks.

El-Tawil, S., et al. (2015). Quinine for muscle cramps. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

View All References (10)

Marie, C., et al. (2022). Malaria. Merck Manual.

MedlinePlus. (2017). Quinine.

Menakuru, S. R. (2021). Disseminated intravascular coagulation due to drinking tonic water. Cureus.

National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2024). PubChem Compound Summary for CID 3034034, Quinine.

Sánchez-Lozada, L. G., et al. (2019). The perils of rehydrating with soft drinks following heat and exercise. American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology.

Simonetti, O., et al. (2022). The history of gin and tonic: The infectious disease specialist long drink. When gin and tonic was not ordered but prescribed. Le Infezioni in Medicina.

Stanhope, K. L., et al. (2014). Adverse metabolic effects of dietary fructose: Results from recent epidemiological, clinical, and mechanistic studies. Current Opinion in Lipidology.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2019). Beverages, carbonated, tonic water. FoodData Central.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2022). Soft drink, cola. FoodData Central.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2024). Code of federal regulations title 21: Sec. 172.575 Quinine.

GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.

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