Caffeinated Donuts - Helpful or Harmful?

The Upside

Officially named Buzz Donuts ™ and Buzzed Bagels ™, these baked goodies are perfect for the person that wants an extra boost when consuming coffee or eating breakfast.

Many people drink coffee all day to keep that continual caffeine high. That can be up to a pot for most. Bohannon decided to open options for people that needed the extra boost but did not want to run to the restroom every five minutes! People can enjoy a glass of milk and still get their caffeine from a donut or other pastry.

"I had the idea for caffeinated pastries several years ago, but the bitter taste of the caffeine would always overwhelm the flavor," says Bohannon.

Bohannon worked with flavoring experts to cover the bitterness to add the caffeine equivalent of up to two cups of coffee to the goodies.

These baked goods are not for sell yet but may soon be seen in stores such as Krispy Kremes, Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks.

The Downside

What affect will these caffeine-laced pastries have on America's obesity epidemic? Common sense will tell you if people are drinking more coffee for the caffeine, people are going to eat more of these baked goods for the caffeine, too.

This is a big problem. With obesity rating the number one health threat facing America, we need people finding nutritious ways to entice the overall population to eat healthy. Obesity causes 400,000 deaths, annually.

"It's like getting a candy bar and putting Vitamin C in it, saying you're getting your Vitamin C from this candy bar," says Barry Popkin, a nutrition scientist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Higher doses of caffeine may also have an affect on people. Heart problems may occur consuming more than 300 to 400 milligrams a day. A cup of coffee usually contains about 50 milligrams of caffeine, and a caffeinated donut contains about 100 milligrams.

In response, Bohannon says he is aware of the risks, but urges moderation. He suggests not overdoing it.

Since more people are demanding more caffeine to keep up with a busy lifestyle, Bohannon's caffeinated goodies may be a hit.

Bohannon reminds us that some people get their caffeine fix from other sources besides coffee. "The Buzz Donut and the Buzzed Bagel lets them get the caffeine buzz by simply eating a delicious pastry item."