Speaking as an American ex-Diet Coke addict who now mostly drinks water, I've found the off-the-shelf sweet drinks I do occasionally consume — fruit juices and

Speaking as an American ex-Diet Coke addict who now mostly drinks water, I've found the off-the-shelf sweet drinks I do occasionally consume — fruit juices and ginger ale, mostly — taste better mixed roughly 4:1 with water, because less sweet. When offered a drink, aside from the occasional (non-sweet) alcoholic beverage, I typically choose (flavorless) water.