Fizzy drink with a bit of caffeine (help me quit Diet Coke!)

[pjani]

I am addicted to Diet Coke and have one every lunchtime but I know it’s bad for my teeth and is a pretty horrible substance generally.

I barely drink alcohol and no other caffeine so it’s something just for me, picks me up a bit, and there is something about the sensation of the bubbles that I find very refreshing.

Are there recommendations for healthier, fizzy, slightly caffeinated drinks that people could make?

I quite like the Fever tree flavoured tonic waters which I drink neat. Particularly like the elderflower one.

All fizzy drinks are bad for your teeth and flavoured fizzy drinks reduce your body’s ability to absorb calcium. I’m not saying don’t drink fizzy drinks but I would do some research because there may not be a healthier caffinated fizzy drink so you may as well have you want rather than an equally unhealthy drink you don’t want as much.

I drink the aqua libra which has no sugar and is a delicious fizzy drink!

Not what you asked, but how I kicked the habit was by drinking a little water first, before drinking coke.

A behaviour analyst explained that when you do that, the coke acts as a reinforcer for drinking water, and makes the water more desirable. Because you drink the water in response to a thirst signal, it trains you desire water instead of the coke. And because you’re not denying or resisting the urge to have coke, your brain doesn’t fixate on it.

The trick was not to force myself to drink more water than I wanted, bar the first mouthful. Just have what felt right.

I have a 2ltr a day water habit now.

Well done kicking your habit!

I actually drink a pint glass of water before my diet coke most days, because I don't want to drink it out of thirst but out of pleasure (um yes I think I am addicted).

I always want it when I'm eating lunch, so that's the connection rather than with thirst. I like a hot lunch with a really really cold fizzy drink.

Thanks for those other suggestions but they don't have caffeine in them.

Maybe I should try a fizzy drink and then a green tea with jasmine (quite like those but I don't like black tea) to get the caffeine.

Or else I remembered drinking cans of fizzy guarana drink in Brazil, they were caffeinated, but probably just as nasty and unhealthy as diet coke... any other thoughts?