Tonic Water, What is It?

Living in Cambodia has not only introduced me to Khmer foods, but has also opened my eyes to English foods, French foods, Indonesian foods, Indian foods, and more. My new favorite find is Tonic Water.

What is Tonic Water?
It is a carbonated soft drink with added quinine. Known for its bitter flavourings, the quinine adds medicinal effects. It was originally used as a prophylactic [prevention] against malaria in South Asia and Africa. What is quinine?

Quinine became recognized, as early as the 17th century, as a relatively safe cure and preventative treatment for malaria. Quinine derives from the bark of the Cinchona, a tree grown in the Andes. It was brought back to Europe, where it was found to be particularly useful for treating malaria. The British occupation of India was helped by quinine, since it allowed the British officers to stay healthy. More...

Recommended Uses
Gin + Tonic Water is a famous British drink [created originally to cover up the awful bitter quinine tasts when they were colonizing malaria-dense countries].

I personally love a basic Tonic Water + a freshly squeezed lime, over ice mix [aka. Bitter Lime]. It is really refreshing and not fake-sweet like most sodas.

Try it. Enjoy it!