DRINKS
Published July 7, 2025 7:00am EDT
The mid-afternoon cigarette break has taken a new form for Gen Z with a sweet, bubbly twist.
Videos about "fridge cigarettes" have garnered hundreds of thousands of likes on TikTok this summer as scores of young adults have raved about the pick-me-up.
The fix is diet soda, particularly Diet Coke — chilled to perfection.
"Just a little something to take the edge off," one TikTok video of a Diet Coke can read.
"Time for my afternoon fridge cigarette," another said of the same soda brand.
Thanks to a viral TikTok trend, 20-somethings across America are reaching for refrigerated diet sodas instead of cigarettes. (iStock)
A third video caption reads, "Fridge cigarette after a long day."
What's the appeal behind the TikTok trend?
Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist based in New York City, said the trend works because Diet Coke can act as an "emotional stand-in."
"It becomes a way [for people] to pause, reset or reward themselves," the expert told Fox News Digital.
"[It's] a small ritual that offers structure or comfort in the middle of a hectic day. It can be grounding for some people."
Opening up the fridge for a soda is a "small ritual that offers structure or comfort in the middle of a hectic day." (iStock)
The psychology expert also noted that cracking open an ice-cold Diet Coke is a sensory experience, much like smoking.
"The crisp sound, the carbonation and the cold hit all offer a quick, reliable burst of stimulation or relief, especially during stressful or transitional moments in the day," Alpert said.
"I see this trend as less about the drink itself and more about the ritual."
While opting for soda is "certainly a healthier choice than cigarettes," Alpert warned that the trend is not totally harmless.
"When Diet Coke becomes a daily emotional crutch, it can reinforce dependency patterns, particularly if it is being used to manage anxiety, suppress appetite or avoid discomfort," he shared.
Carbonation from the soda, in addition to other factors, offers "a quick, reliable burst of stimulation or relief," according to a psychotherapist. (iStock)
Fox News Digital reached out to the Coca-Cola Co. for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Debra Muth, a naturopathic doctor (ND) based in Wisconsin, echoed Alpert's concerns.
The trend is "really trading one bad habit for another," said the medical expert.
"The Diet Coke break works because of the ritual itself of stepping away and having something in your hands. That pause triggers stress relief," Muth told Fox News Digital.
"But here's what people don't realize: Your brain isn't asking for aspartame or nicotine. It's asking for dopamine. That artificial sweetener crosses your blood-brain barrier and actually makes the neurotransmitter depletion worse. You're literally borrowing from tomorrow's brain chemistry."
Muth also does not recommend the trend when it comes to cigarette smokers looking to quit.
"Both nicotine and Diet Coke hijack your dopamine pathways," the family physician said.
Replacing cigarettes with soda is just "trading one bad habit for another," said a doctor. (iStock)
"Your brain gets the same temporary 'reward' hit, but it's a false sense of satisfaction."
Instead, she said, it's better to "give your brain what it actually needs, such as amino acids like L-tyrosine for natural dopamine production, balanced blood sugar and real stress management that restores your brain's reward system."
Andrea Margolis is a lifestyle writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Readers can follow her on X at @andreamargs or send story tips to andrea.margolis@fox.com.
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Article: (https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/...s-diet-coke-obsession-concerns-health-experts)
Archive: (https://archive.is/flt9t)
'Fridge cigarette' is Gen Z's new Diet Coke obsession that concerns health experts
Health experts caution popular afternoon soda ritual hijacks same dopamine pathways as nicotine
By Andrea Margolis ·Fox NewsPublished July 7, 2025 7:00am EDT
The mid-afternoon cigarette break has taken a new form for Gen Z with a sweet, bubbly twist.
Videos about "fridge cigarettes" have garnered hundreds of thousands of likes on TikTok this summer as scores of young adults have raved about the pick-me-up.
The fix is diet soda, particularly Diet Coke — chilled to perfection.
"Just a little something to take the edge off," one TikTok video of a Diet Coke can read.
"Time for my afternoon fridge cigarette," another said of the same soda brand.
Thanks to a viral TikTok trend, 20-somethings across America are reaching for refrigerated diet sodas instead of cigarettes. (iStock)
A third video caption reads, "Fridge cigarette after a long day."
What's the appeal behind the TikTok trend?
Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist based in New York City, said the trend works because Diet Coke can act as an "emotional stand-in."
"It becomes a way [for people] to pause, reset or reward themselves," the expert told Fox News Digital.
"[It's] a small ritual that offers structure or comfort in the middle of a hectic day. It can be grounding for some people."
Opening up the fridge for a soda is a "small ritual that offers structure or comfort in the middle of a hectic day." (iStock)
The psychology expert also noted that cracking open an ice-cold Diet Coke is a sensory experience, much like smoking.
"The crisp sound, the carbonation and the cold hit all offer a quick, reliable burst of stimulation or relief, especially during stressful or transitional moments in the day," Alpert said.
"I see this trend as less about the drink itself and more about the ritual."
While opting for soda is "certainly a healthier choice than cigarettes," Alpert warned that the trend is not totally harmless.
"When Diet Coke becomes a daily emotional crutch, it can reinforce dependency patterns, particularly if it is being used to manage anxiety, suppress appetite or avoid discomfort," he shared.
Carbonation from the soda, in addition to other factors, offers "a quick, reliable burst of stimulation or relief," according to a psychotherapist. (iStock)
Fox News Digital reached out to the Coca-Cola Co. for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Debra Muth, a naturopathic doctor (ND) based in Wisconsin, echoed Alpert's concerns.
The trend is "really trading one bad habit for another," said the medical expert.
"The Diet Coke break works because of the ritual itself of stepping away and having something in your hands. That pause triggers stress relief," Muth told Fox News Digital.
"But here's what people don't realize: Your brain isn't asking for aspartame or nicotine. It's asking for dopamine. That artificial sweetener crosses your blood-brain barrier and actually makes the neurotransmitter depletion worse. You're literally borrowing from tomorrow's brain chemistry."
Muth also does not recommend the trend when it comes to cigarette smokers looking to quit.
"Both nicotine and Diet Coke hijack your dopamine pathways," the family physician said.
Replacing cigarettes with soda is just "trading one bad habit for another," said a doctor. (iStock)
"Your brain gets the same temporary 'reward' hit, but it's a false sense of satisfaction."
Instead, she said, it's better to "give your brain what it actually needs, such as amino acids like L-tyrosine for natural dopamine production, balanced blood sugar and real stress management that restores your brain's reward system."
Andrea Margolis is a lifestyle writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Readers can follow her on X at @andreamargs or send story tips to andrea.margolis@fox.com.
----------
Article: (https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/...s-diet-coke-obsession-concerns-health-experts)
Archive: (https://archive.is/flt9t)
