Tonic Water

Tonic water is safe to drink during pregnancy. The reason it sometimes appears on caution lists is quinine — a compound derived from cinchona bark that gives tonic water its characteristic bitter taste. High-dose quinine used medicinally (historically used to treat malaria) can be harmful in pregnancy, but the amount of quinine in commercial tonic water is tiny by comparison — typically between 5mg and 83mg per 250ml serving, depending on the brand. Therapeutic quinine doses used in medicine are 200–300mg three times per day. A glass of tonic water with a meal is therefore far below any dose of concern. UK authorities, including the Food Standards Agency, do not list tonic water as something to avoid during pregnancy. If you are drinking tonic water as a mixer in alcohol-free gin and tonics or simply for the taste, there is no basis for concern. As with any sugary drink, moderation makes sense — tonic water has a meaningful sugar content — and diet tonic carries the same quinine level and the same safety profile. If you are drinking very large amounts of tonic water daily (multiple litres), it is sensible to vary your drinks, but this applies to virtually any single drink.