I also gave up soda and artificial sweeteners and I'll never go that route again. I also don't use so-called natural sweetener substitutes. If something contains a tiny amount of added sugar, such as a small amount needed to cut the acidity of a recipe, then I don't complain. The World Health Organization recommends no more than 10% of our calories come from
added sugars. The soft drink industry recommends 25%
The only things I drink are filtered water and unsweetened tea. After a while, you won't crave the sodas or sweetened drinks again