What is the difference between Club Soda, Soda Water, Mineral Water, Tonic, Seltzer, and Sparkling Water?
– H2O
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Dear Two-Cent Ho,
Club Soda, Soda Water, Sparkling Water, and Seltzer are all similar in that they’re charged with carbon dioxide. The difference is Club Soda, Soda Water, and Sparkling Water can contain a small amount of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or other salts.
Mineral Water is exactly as simple as the other waters except it can contain mineral salts, chlorides, phosphates, silicates, sulfides, and sulfates of calcium, iron, lithium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and other metals, as well as gases such as hydrogen sulfide and nitrogen.
Tonic Water is usually a combination of carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, and quinine. Quinine is a drug made from the bark of the Cinchona tree and contains properties that make it a good analgesic, anesthetic, anti-parasitic, and muscle-relaxant. For this reason Quinine is used to treat things such as malaria, leg cramps, arthritis, and eye twitching. Unfortunately quinine can also cause abnormal heart rhythms. And haemolysis in G6PD deficiency. I don’t know what in hay haemolysis in G6PD is but it can’t be good with all those weird letters and numbers. Quinine has also been found to induce first trimester abortion.
All of this water information BOILS DOWN to Bossy’s Buying Guide:
- If you have a simple thirst, pick up some Seltzer.
- If you have an upset stomach, select Club Soda, Soda Water, or a Sparkling Water that contains soothing sodium bicarbonate.
- If you have malaria or leg cramps or eye twitching or an unwanted pregnancy or an extra bottle of gin, choose Tonic.