Is tonic and sparkling water the same

Carbonated water in its many iterations can be confusing. There’s seltzer water, also known as soda water, (not to be confused with its boozy sibling, hard seltzer) and its whole host of flavored seltzer off-shoots. Then there’s club soda. And then there’s sparkling water, or sparkling mineral water, with its subtle flavors that range from salty to metallic. But are all of these refreshing, fizzy drinks the same? And where does tonic water fit into it all?

Though each of these bubbly beverages appears identical, each contains different flavor profiles and is made using different processes. To help understand the differences between them, we’ve compiled this, the complete guide to carbonated water, so you can know the differences between club soda, seltzer water, and sparkling water — plus tonic, too — once and for all.

The Bubbly Water Guide

  • What Is Seltzer Water?
  • What Is Club Soda?
  • What Is Sparkling Water?
  • What Is Tonic Water?

What Is Seltzer Water?

Is tonic and sparkling water the same
Also known as soda water, seltzer is the simplest of these waters, made by carbonating plain water with carbon dioxide (CO2). Owing to its neutral profile, seltzer water is occasionally flavored using natural fruit essences and oils, as in popular brands like La Croix and Spindrift.

Don't Miss A Drop

Get the latest in beer, wine, and cocktail culture sent straight to your inbox.

What Is Club Soda?

Is tonic and sparkling water the same
Club soda is similar to seltzer water, but in addition to CO2, various minerals — including sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, disodium phosphate, and occasionally sodium chloride — are added. If a cocktail recipe calls for seltzer but you only have club soda on hand, there’s little perceivable difference between the two, and one can easily be substituted for the other.

Popular club soda brands include Canada Dry, Seagram’s, and Schweppes.

What Is Sparkling Water?

Is tonic and sparkling water the same
Sparkling water, or sparkling mineral water is rich in dissolved solids like potassium, sodium, and magnesium, hence the “mineral” in its name. Unlike club soda, these minerals occur naturally and are picked up as water filters through multiple layers of underground rock and sediment. The water’s bubbles, meanwhile, can be natural or artificially added.

Every brand of sparkling mineral water contains a distinct dose of flavor-giving minerals, so they all taste slightly different. Sparkling mineral waters don’t mix well in cocktails, but they do produce remarkable effects when paired with wine.

Popular sparkling mineral water brands include Perrier, San Pellegrino, and Topo Chico.

What Is Tonic Water?

Is tonic and sparkling water the same
Tonic water is seltzer water or soda water with the addition of quinine and sugar or other sweetener. For centuries, quinine powder has been used to prevent malaria. Its bitter flavor was so unpalatable to British officers based in 19th-century India, however, that they began mixing it with soda and sugar. Thus the first tonic water was born. It wasn’t long before U.K. officials started mixing the newly invented tonic with their favorite spirit, gin, creating the much-loved G&T.

Tonic water is the only style on this list that contains calories, because of its sugar content, but “light” versions are increasingly popular. In these styles, sweetness is provided by less-caloric, natural-fruit sugars.

While popular brands like Canada Dry, Schweppes, and Seagram’s also make tonic water, you’re likely to find Fever-Tree stocked at the world’s best bars.

If you're trying to cut back on sugary drinks, be wary of these two carbonated drinks. With added sugars, both soda water and tonic water can potentially lead to tooth decay, weight gain, and an upset stomach. 

When considering soda water vs tonic water, the main takeaway is that soda water uses carbon dioxide that's under pressure, while tonic water contains quinine. My suggestion? Keep it simple and pair tonic water with gin, and substitute a sugary Coke with a flavored soda water.

Yes, they’re all bubbly forms of water, but they’re also all completely different drinks. Each has its own different flavour and qualities. So, before you start using sparkling water to make that G&T (or pour yourself a big, refreshing glass of tonic water), read on.

Tonic water vs Soda water vs Sparkling water vs Mineral water

Let’s start by laying out the basic similarities and differences between ‘the four fizzy amigos’ before we go into each fizz type in detail.

First, the similarities – all three are made from carbonated water, which is created by injecting bubbles of carbon dioxide (CO2) into water to make it fizz.

Is tonic and sparkling water the same

What is tonic water?

Tonic water is a sweet-yet-bitter, bubbly little number that’s mainly used as a mixer for cocktails. It’s the fizz that gave its name to the popular ‘gin and tonic’ enjoyed all over the world.

What is tonic water made of?

Traditional tonic water generally contains four ingredients:

  • Carbonated water
  • Sugar
  • Quinine and other flavours
  • Preservatives

The key to tonic water’s unique bitter taste is quinine: a drug that was actually developed to treat malaria and other diseases! Of course, doctors use it in much bigger doses than you’ll find in store-bought tonic waters.

Shop Nexba Sugar Free Tonic Water

What is sparkling water?

Sparkling water has a clean, neutral taste that makes it great for cooking – not to mention a refreshing alternative to plain old tap water. If you’ve ever had a waiter ask whether you wanted, “still or sparkling?”, you’ve met sparkling water before. It’s the option that sparkles with bubbles.

What about ‘sparkling mineral water’?

Sometimes, you’ll see sparkling water advertised as sparkling mineral water. In fact, many people think the two interchangeable, but there IS a big difference.

Genuine sparkling mineral waters come from underground water sources that are rich in natural minerals and salts. They get their bubbles from the natural gasses in these mineral springs (although manufacturers often add more CO2 afterwards to up the bubble-factor).

Sparkling mineral water’s taste is still subtle, but the minerals it contains often add a bit of flavour. That means it can taste a little bitter and salty.

What is sparkling water made of?

Plain sparkling water generally contains just one ingredient – carbonated water.

Flavoured sparkling waters typically also contain:

  • Added flavours
  • Sugar and/or artificial sweeteners
  • Preservatives

Is tonic and sparkling water the same

What is soda water?

Soda water is sometimes known as ‘club soda’. It’s a slightly salty drink that most commonly gets used as a cocktail mixer, although some folks enjoy it on its own.

Fun factoid: soda water was originally created as a cheaper version of sparkling mineral water. To mimic the taste, manufacturers add minerals like:

  • Sodium bicarbonate
  • Sodium citrate
  • Disodium phosphate
  • (and occasionally) sodium chloride, aka table salt.

What is soda water made of?

Soda water contains:

  • Carbonated water
  • Added salts and minerals

Is tonic and sparkling water the same

Sparkling water, tonic water, soda water or mineral water – which one is healthiest?

Some people believe that tonic water is bad for you. And, based purely on sugar content, plain sparkling water, mineral water or soda water is certainly healthier than most tonic waters out there.

That’s because neither plain sparkling water, mineral water or soda water have sugar in them. Meanwhile, traditional tonic water has, on average, 6.5 teaspoons of sugar per 300mL serve!

That said, watch out for flavoured sparkling waters too. They may appear healthy, but they sometimes come loaded with a stack of sugar and artificial additives. 

Thankfully Nexba’s Tonic Waters, Nexba Sparkling Waters, Nexba Sparkling Mineral Waters aren’t like that at all. They’re naturally sugar free and are actually just as healthy as soda water or sparkling water!

Is tonic and sparkling water the same

Your favourite bubbly beverages with none of the nasty stuff

Look, we don’t want to knock plain sparkling water if that’s what you’re in the mood for. But we also know that sometimes, you just crave a bit more FLAVOUR in your life.

That’s why, at Nexba, we’ve made it our mission to take the traditional drinks we all already know and love and make them healthier (and just as delicious). 

We knew we had to give traditional tonic water and sparkling water a makeover. So we added our top-secret Nexba Naturally Sugar Free sweetener blend, along with 100% natural flavours.

Can you use sparkling water instead of tonic?

Tonic vs Seltzer If replacing a drink with tonic water that usually calls for seltzer, your drink may have a slightly bitter taste to it. However, since seltzer water has a clean taste, replacing your drink with seltzer in place of tonic water will not drastically change your cocktail or mixed drink.

What is the difference between tonic soda and sparkling water?

SO, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TONIC, SODA AND SPARKLING WATER? In a nutshell, all three have carbonation. However, the key difference lie in the minerals (sparkling water), salts (for soda water) and quinine (for tonic). So there you go.

Does tonic water taste like sparkling water?

Tonic water is pretty bitter, and it's known for it's distinct taste. On the other hand, soda water utilizes pressurized carbon dioxide gas. Tonic water is pretty different compared to most bubbly, carbonated waters. In addition to its distinct taste, tonic water contains calories (unlike the other types of waters).

What is healthier tonic water or sparkling water?

And, based purely on sugar content, plain sparkling water, mineral water or soda water is certainly healthier than most tonic waters out there. That's because neither plain sparkling water, mineral water or soda water have sugar in them.