Bitter Lemon

Bitter Lemon ( English for " Bitter Lemon ") is a carbonated soft drink of African origin.

The drink was originally made ​​from lemons. In the commercial brands at most a few percent lemon juice today, however, added, or as substitutes citric acid, natural and artificial flavors. Bitter Lemon tastes bitter by the addition of up to 85 milligrams of quinine per liter. The products manufactured by the company Schweppes Bitter Lemon only 34 mg of quinine per liter are included.

Bitter Lemon was earlier, as well as tonic water, used by the colonial powers for the prevention of malaria. The quinine content is now much lower, which is why effective prophylaxis against malaria is no longer given.

Bitter lemon drinks should not be consumed during pregnancy, as the baby of quinine may be dependent, which makes itself apparent after birth by severe withdrawal symptoms. In addition, the quinine can induce labor, because it acts uterine stimulant.

Also, patients with tinnitus should avoid large quantities for risk assessment quinine drinks, according to the German Federal Institute. Hypersensitivity small amounts of quinine may already wide variety of reactions, such as gastrointestinal or neurological disorders - such as blurred vision and confusion - cause.

Variants

Bitter orange is a quinine-containing orangeade.