Now, instead of spoiling your palate with a glass of intensely sweet sugar water containing 5 teaspoons of sugar a glass you can spoil it with a glass of intensely sweet sugar water with 3 teaspoons of sugar a glass.
So yes, drop for drop it's less bad, but less bad is definitely not the same as good - especially if drinking the less bad stuff leads you to believe that because it's less bad you can have it more often, or pour more of it.
Fruit can only be eaten. Juice is not fruit.