If you are looking for the highest natural sources of quinine, continue reading this article and find out what they are. But first.
Quinine is the predecessor of chloroquine. In other words, quinine is one of the natural alternatives to hydroxychloroquine. But before we get into the highest natural sources of quinine, let’s see what quinine really is.
In This Article You Will Find:
What Is Quinine?
Quinine is one of the oldest and best natural treatments for malaria. The Jesuit missionaries discovered the antimalarial properties of quinine in the 17th century and prepared the drug, which was then called the “bark of the Jesuits.” Studies have shown that its successor chloroquine, respectively hydroxychloroquine can have great results against malaria. Thus, we want to share with you the 3 highest natural sources of quinine for this purpose. Without further ado, here are the best natural sources of quinine, supplements that have the highest quantity of quinine in them.
What Are The Highest Natural Sources of Quinine?
1. Cinchona Tree Bark
Quinine is a natural extract from the Cinchona trees family. The bark of this tree is one of the highest natural sources of quinine in the world. The quinine tree (Cinchona succiruba) is native to South America and can reach heights of over 20 meters.
It has long, elliptical leaves, reddish on the inside, and bright pink flowers. The outer layer of the bark is brown-gray, and the inner layer is reddish-brown. The tree bark is harvested in autumn from trees that are at least 6 years old. Once dried, the bark is ground and used in the preparation of tinctures, dry extracts, decoctions, and medicinal wine. You can even find it in capsules.
Read Also: 7 Natural Alternatives for Hydroxychloroquine
Quinine extract is also used in the alcoholic beverages industry (bitters) and soft drinks (tonic water). So when you think quinine, think bitter. Cinchona tree bark is one of the highest natural sources of quinine out there.
2. Tonic Water
Tonic water is one of the most available and highest natural sources of quinine. Opt for a clean label tonic water that doesn’t come loaded with preservatives, sugars, or harmful sugar substitutes. While the content of quinine in tonic waters is generally low, if drunk regularly, tonic waters can act as great prevention. You can also make your own tonic water at home, following this recipe:
- 3 cups of water
- ¼ cup of lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp cinchona extract
- the peel from 3 limes cubed
- the peel from 3 lemons cubed
- the peel from 2 oranges cubed
- 3 cardamom pods
- 1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Combine the ingredients together in a jar. Seal and give it a good shake. Store the jar in the fridge for the next 72 hours, and shake daily. Sweeten with date syrup, raw honey, or coconut sugar to taste and your tonic water is done.
3. Grapefruit
Grapefruit contains quinine-like substances, which in turn are effective in treating malaria. The explanation comes from the fact that grapefruit peel is loaded with a powerful essential oil called limonene. Limonene is known for its antiplasmodial activity, which makes it a powerful natural alternative to antimalarial drugs, including quinine.
To enjoy the healing benefits of the essential oils in grapefruit peel, heat up one grapefruit in the oven for a couple of minutes and eat its pulp (don’t microwave!). Or, steam grapefruit peel on a double boiler (bain-marie) and then eat it as is. Beware! Use organically grown grapefruit because pesticides gather in the peel of citrus fruits.
Indulge in freshly squeezed grapefruit and orange juice daily. Make the juice even more powerful by adding fresh ginger and turmeric powder to the mix. This citrus juice is not only a great barrier against viruses but also an immune system booster against any disease. Have plenty of grapefruits and fresh grapefruit juice on a daily basis.
Read Also: 10 Best Natural Sources of Zinc
Keep a positive mind. Your mind creates your reality, so work at the reality where you are healthy, safe, and protected. We hope that now that you know which are the highest natural sources of quinine you will be more empowered. True information is empowering, and this is what we aim to do here. I hope this information here will empower you, even more, to be safe and sound. Stay healthy, naturally!
71 comments
Wow have I joined the dots after reading this article. Very interesting indeed
Thank you, Steve! We’re happy that we could help. 💜
thank you for this valuable information
You’re welcome. We’re happy we could help. Much health to you, Monika!
I saw a recipe for a “virus” treatment.
Peel of 3 grapefruit and 3 lemons
Boil for 2 hours in a pan with a tightly fitting lid in water 3cm above the level of the peelings.
Take 1 tbsp 3 times a day till symptoms resolve.
😊
Thank you for your input! Use organic produce, because pesticides reside in the peels of citrus fruits. 🙂
I don’t want to buy anything from Amazon. Where else can it be bought?
I am not sure about the quinine extract, but you can find red chinchona bark and the tonic water on Etsy. I leave the links here: https://tidd.ly/3eGiH9N
https://tidd.ly/3litatr
As per instructions on the internet, I peeled 2 grapefruits and 2 lemons, cut the peels into slightly smaller pieces, brought them to a quick boil for a second, then simmered them in a pot with a glass top for 2 hours, making sure the steam did not get vented. After removing from the heat and cooling for 2 hours, I took a tablespoon full and drank it, and I’ll be darned it tasted just like quinine!!! You guys are geniuses! My wife and I are using it for the prophylactic effect. Long live the People. Long live the quinine.
Hi, Terry! Much health to you and your family. 🙂
Question. Dehydrating grapefruit peel as good as boiling them for the benefits? Just wondering how much powder to use in a tea?
Hello, Vicki! The bitter substances in grapefruit have quinine-like effects, so I personally believe that any grapefruit intake can help, but I cannot say how much to use to make the tea. Much health to you!
I saw the recipe for “homemade HCQ” (boiling the grapefruit and lemons peels, etc.) I did it today and have 4 bottles chilling in fridge. Will keep one bottle out and freeze the rest. Found your site when researching what in the heck does grapefruit have to do with HCQ! Thank you for this article.
Thank you Sherryl, much health to you! 🙏🏻❤️
Wondering if you can use the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker in place of boiling in a pan with a tight fitting lid? It may be too hot of cooking temps.
Hi, Holly! You don’t need that high temperatures to heat up the grapefruit peels, simply heat it up in a pan with a little water. Use organic grapefruit if possible, because the conventional grown ones are sprayed with chemicals and the peel stores that toxic waste. Much health to you! 💚
Great info! How many Fever Tree bottles can we drink per day when we have a fever?
Hello Marie! Personally, I don’t recommend Indian tonic water as a natural treatment for fever. Fever is the body’s way to signal inflammation (viral or bacterial), hence it is not the problem per se (when it’s not very high), but a natural mechanism to bring our attention that there’s something going on in the body, that our immune system is fighting against. Please consult a medical doctor. Much health to you! 💚
I’m so grateful to have found this site. May I be clear though? Are we supposed to just heat the peal and not the fruit of the grapefruit and lemons? I heard Dr Christine Northrop recite this but I wasn’t clear if it was just the peel.
Hello Jennifer! Yes, it’s the peel from organic grapefruit, but you can also eat the pulp or juice the rest of the grapefruit and drink it alongside the heated peels. Much health to you! 💚
So we couldn’t find organic I know you said it stores toxics but is it still ok to use?
Hello Jeff! I personally wouldn’t recommend using the peel from conventionally-grown grepfruit, because all the chemicals and pesticides sprayed on the fruit reside in its peel. The health benefits come with a load of toxins from these sprays. Much health to you! 💚
Even organic citrus is waxed with “food grade” petroleum (there is no such thing really), so you have to boil water throw in the fruit for a minute then run under cold water and brush off the wax with a clean natural bristle brush and rinse.
Hello Liana! Yes, even organic fruits need a good wash. You can also put them in a sink filled with water and pour apple cider vinegar or baking soda and leave them to stay for a few minutes, then rinse well and you can use them. Thank you for your input. 💚
Thanks for the info, Andreea. Is regular old ‘quinine’ water from the store also effective? Sure easier than making our own.
Hi, Bob! Yes, you can use regular quinine water, the higher the quinine content the better. I’m glad I could help, much health to you! 💚
How long does homemade quinine last in the refrigerator.
Hi, Darla! Up to one week in a sealed bottle in the fridge. 💚
Hello Andrea!
What wonderful information! I am so glad we have found your site. Bless you for your wisdom, for helping us know we are not alone!
Hi, Debby! I totally get you, although we are scattered all over the world, we all do our best to lighten up the minds of others and bring relief through knowledge. Thank you very much for your kind words, you are never alone!💚
Has anyone tried 3 rinds grapefruit, 3 rinds lemon, squeeze out the juice , top off with distilled water and pressure cook for maybe 30 min. With a natural release ? Any thoughts ?
Shikimic acid in pine needles, but much more in Star anise. I use a whole star anise break into pieces in a small ceramic teapot , cover with boiling water and leave for 24 hours. Tastes delicious like liquorice and keeps those spike proteins at bay
Hi Kathleen! Yes, anise seeds and star anise contain shikimic acid. Much health to you!
Hi! Just wondering if pink grapefruit will work as well as regular grapefruit? Thanks 🙏
Sure! All types of grapefruit have these substances in them. Much health to you, Mike! 💚
I take meds for cholesterol. My doctor said not to ear grapefruit while taking these meds. I would love to try this but am apprehensive because of stating drugs and grapefruit. Any suggestions?
Hi, Paula! I suggest you consult a naturopath, he may be able to help you. Much love! 💚
Thank you!
I only like to eat grapefruit after baking it with a little honey. I was wondering if I would still get the health benefits from boiling the peels after I have baked the fruit. Thanks!
Hi, Ryan! Yes, that should do. You don’t need to boil the peels after baking, you can eat them after baking, the idea is to heat up the grapefruit peels, and that is enough. Much health to you! 💚
I’ve seen people boiling the skin of grapefruits and lemons to release quinine. Is there truth in that?
When you heat up the peels of grapefruit and lemon it releases these bitter quinine-like substances. Much health to you! 💚
Can you use peels/skin from regular grapefruit and wash them few times (acv and baking soda maybe even borax) from the pesticides? Organic ones are either too expensive/not available.
Hi, Bo! In this case I think you can, the benefits are greater than the risks. Much health to you! 💚
Is there any way to preserve/can these remedies for long term supplication if needed? Thank you much for the valuable information!! An informed people are equipped to handle most anything and Everything with God’s help. May God Bless You and those who’ve helped get this information out to the public! ❤
Hi Jessica and thank you for your kind words, we really appreciate. If you refer to the tonic water recipe, ideally you should consume it over the course of a few days, while keeping it in the fridge. It is a small batch, so I don’t think it can last for too long, but if you want to make a larger quantity at once, the best thing to do is store it in the fridge in glass bottles, or in the freezer (in this case don’t fill the bottle all the way up). Much health to you!💚
`Hello – not everyone can get grapefruit year round on demand. I am wondering about preserving grapefruit peels, so that i may steep them as needed. Which preserves the active ingredients in the peels the best –
1. peeling them and freezing the peels? (in this case, does the pith have any of the important essences needed?)
2. Drying the grapefruit peels after taking them off the fruit.
I can preserve the fruit in other ways, but I’m wondering if drying the peels will make them lose their essential oils and other properties that are needed?
I was also considering a vodka extraction tincture, but that would render the peels unusable for awhile right, until the extraction would be complete?
Hi, Elle! The best ways to preserve grapefruit peels are exactly these two, freezing them or drying/dehydrating them. Either way, they don’t lose the essential oils in them for future use. If you want to dehydrate them in a dehydrator, use a temperature of 40°C(104°F) maximum. This will not make the peels lose their essential oils. Alcohol extraction takes some time for the tincture to be ready, and you can not use it right away, this is true, but this is another useful preserving method (tincture/extraction). I hope I helped, much health to you! 💚
Does pomelo have similar properties as grapefruit?
Hi, Sean! Pomelo is the ancestor of the grapefruit, which is a backcross between pomelo and sweet orange. The essential oils in pomelo peel have antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, and is especially effective against strep bacteria, which is why it have been traditionally used in parts of South Asia to soothe a cough or a sore throat. I personally believe that you can use pomelo peel, the bitter kind, instead of grepfruit peel if you don’t have the later available. Much health to you! 💚
Thank you for this article. I made our first batch in August, put it in glass bottles and store it in a backup fridge we hardly open and keep one jar in the house fridge. I sweetened it with a little raw local honey and we each take 2 tab. every morning in our tea. We’re 72 & 74. We only wear masks if in a health care facility, we go about our lives surrounded by people and as of now, not even a cold in over 4 years. We know we could get sick, we take on that responsibility, and we are healthy. We eat organic 90% of the time. Yes my husband has Altzeimers, I have arthritis in knees and fingers and neck, other than that we are healthy. I take a prescript for glaucoma, my hubby one for gout. We refuse to take any other prescripts and our PA has finally accepted our decisions. Thank you for your weekly newsletter, I am always looking for natural ways of living our lives.
Hi Susan and thank you so much for your feedback! I am really happy that our articles reach out and help the right people. It’s the same for me and my hubby, although we’re in our early 30s we don’t take any medication, try to eat as healthy as we can, and to keep a positive mindset. Much health to you and your hubby!💚
We also leave our destiny in the hands of God.
can Pomelo be used instead of grapefruit thank you
Hi Doug! Yes, most citrus fruits, especially the bitter kinds (grapefruit, pomelo, bitter orange/lemon) are great. Much health to you! 💚
Andreea Laza… you are a sun shower… you brighten the world around you…
every drop splashes into a thousand… and a thousand more…
you shine Andree… rain down on this world… a much needed sun shower…
you shine…
We shine together. Be blessed, Jack. 💚
Oh My Gosh you are a gem Andreea! I can’t thank you enough for this article. Helped me to understand not only how it works, but also how to get it (comments are very helpful). I must subscribe and get all the priceless info from you (and your readers too).
Hi Ray! Thank you so much for your appreciation, it really means a lot to us. If you want to stay in touch, you can subscribe to our weekly newsletter at the bottom of the website. Much love! 💚🤗
How many cans of Q tonic water is safe to drink per day? I’m drinking the Q Spectacular tonic water. It has 11 g of agave nectar per 7.5 fluid ounces can.
Hi Cindy! This is not something I can say, tonic water contains small quantities of quinine. Much love!💚
Well written article, however you really should be ashamed of yourself for price gouging your readers in regards to the Tonic water. $21 for a 4 pack of common Tonic water that you can buy for $5 at any grocery store. I am a Master Herbalist myself and there is nothing I hate more than “natural” minded people taking advantage of other’s whobare in need and scared.
Hi, Tracy! I’m really happy you’ve found our article informative, and I hope this information will serve you as well as your clients. We don’t sell any products on this website, hence we do not set the prices for the products we recommend. As for the price of this tonic water, it’s the same with the more popular Fever-Tree, but the difference is that the tonic water from Q is sweetened with agave nectar instead of sugar, and I’m guessing as a Master Herbalist, you know how damaging sugar is for our health. In addition, we included a recipe for tonic water so that anyone can make at home and not have to buy any tonic waters on the market. I sure hope you take advantage of all this free information and use it wisely. Much love!
Thank you for all your efforts and advice, Andreea.
Could you please advise what is the purpose of lemons in the 3 grapefruit 3 lemon recipe?
I am unable to find any information about lemon containing Quinine. Lemons are easier to obtain than grapefruit, so if lemons do contain Q, we could just use lemons. However if lemons do not contain Q, why are lemons included in the mix with grapefruit?
Hi Andy! Lemons, as well as grapefruits and most citrus fruits, contain in their peels essential oils, and one of the components in these essential oils is limonene, which has the ability to stop the development of the malaria-causing parasite and kill it, similar to quinine. This is why the tonic water recipe makes use of cubed citrus peels because they release their essential oils into the tonic water. So yes, you can use lemon peels too to make the tonic water, if you don’t have grapefruit around. It’s more important to use organic citrus fruits, than what citrus fruits you use, because pesticides build up in their peel. Let me know if you have other questions, and I will be happy to answer. Much health to you!
Buna! Sufăr de trombocitopenie cu cauza necunoscută ce pot lua pentru prevenție C**** având în vedere că Gref nu pot fiind degregant plachetar?
Salut, Mika! Prevenția înseamnă întotdeauna susținerea sistemului imunitar indiferent de situație. Pentru asta există suplimente naturale care pot întări sistemul imunitar și preveni îmbolnăvirea, precum vitamina D (statul la soare), vitamina C naturală (măceșe) și zinc. Am scris un articol complet despre asta aici: https://www.mynaturaltreatment.com/strengthen-the-respiratory-tract/. În plus, pentru o sănătate de fier este recomandată o dietă în care să primeze fructele și legumele proaspete, alimentele cât mai naturale și mai puțin procesate, apă curată din belșug, aer curat și expunerea moderată la soare. Acuma, având în vedere situația ta medicală, îți recomand să consulți un medic naturopat care să-ți spună exact ce să iei ca și prevenție pentru că noi nu facem recomandări medicale pe site, acest site este doar de informare. Îți doresc multă sănătate, din toată inima!🌿💚
So very grateful for your website. Wanted to share I found, on Amazon, ZEVIA tonic water. No preservatives, sugar or bad stuff. It does have quinine. I make my HCQ with 3 grapefruit peelings and 3 lemon peelings in a crock pot, covered in pure Prill water. I cook it for about 5 hours or so…..give or take. Let it cool completely, strain into quart jars and store in the refrigerator. I add from 2T to 1/4 cup into Zevia with lots of ice. This works great for me.
I caught “shedding” from my nail technician the same day she had a 2nd booster from the jab and she also had a nasty flu shot the same day. Within 1 hour of leaving my appt. I was ill and it took me 10 wks to recover. It felt like my insides were on fire. I was not prepared, at that time. Now I take ZSTACK daily, from Dr. Zelenko, as well as my HCQ and Ivermectin.
Hi, Elizabeth! Thank you for sharing your recipe with us, I’m sure our readers appreciate it. I have checked ZEVIA and it contains citric acid and natural flavors, which are both on my no list, as they are actually not good for you in the long run. If you want, you can also try our natural tonic water recipe here and let us know what you think. Glad to know you’re feeling better now, after being exposed to … I believe that if we keep our natural immunity up, there’s little chance that we suffer severe shedding reactions. Once again, thank you for sharing how you make your quinine at home and how you’ve overcome the shedding symptoms. Much health to you! 🌿💚
I love grapefruit but haven’t had any since I take quite a few supplements as well as two very low dose meds. I always thought one should take pause in drinking any grapefruit and any medications as it can interfere or lessen effect of medication?
Hi, Alison! I haven’t personally heard about grapefruit interfering with medication, but please check this information with a medical doctor before using grapefruit as a natural source of quinine. Either way, the best way to use quinine is a quinine extract from the Cinchona bark trees that you can find online, or you can check our Supplements page here https://www.mynaturaltreatment.com/supplements/ where you find a good brand of quinine extract. Much health!