Caffeinated Doughnut? Awesome!

Dr. Robert Bohannon wants you in his world. It's fast, upbeat, jovial and driven by caffeine - lots of it. And I'm in!

So the molecular scientist developed a way to add caffeine to baked goods, one that eliminates the natural, bitter taste of caffeine.

"This gives people the opportunity if they want to have a glass of milk and want to have caffeine. It will get them going," Bohannon said.

The amount of caffeine in his creations can vary, but Bohannon can easily put 100 milligrams of caffeine - the equivalent of a 5-ounce cup of drip-brewed coffee - into the treats he plans to market under the "Buzz Donuts" and "Buzzed Bagels" names.

He recently began seeking patents and shopping the products to companies including Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc., Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks Corp. There's no word yet on whether the companies like the idea. Hey Bohannon, if they don't want to carry it, I will! I don't know how I'll fund it but I bet it's going to be a huge hit. Why wouldn't you want your cake and eat it too!? Think of how much more you get done when you are on a caffeine buzz? I know I am more productive!

With America already overweight, some observers already question whether it's wise to combine two key sources of these problems - caffeine and calories. But think of all the people who load their coffee with cream and sugar. They'd be cutting calories in that department and pick them up in the doughnut. Aside from V8 and orange juice, is it really healthy to be drinking calories anyway?

Barry Popkin, a nutrition scientist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill says he sees nothing positive about this, "In many ways we're creating a super caffeine generation. They're undersleeping, they consume a lot of caffeine to stay awake but they don't understand there are health effects. Hey buddy- let us make our own food choices. Some of us are excited about his development. When I was little, I thought by 2000 we'd be eating our meals in pill form like on the Jetsons...since I was highly disappointed that we aren't, I think this is the next best thing.

Popkin has studied the health effects of caffeine and says consuming more than 300 to 400 milligrams a day can lead to heart problems, among other negatives. A 12-ounce soda typically has 30 to 55 milligrams of caffeine. However, other studies have shown that caffeine decreases your risk of Parkinson's disease. Ya win some, ya lose some, I guess.

Bohannon, 53 and a coffee drinker since he was 8 years old, says he's well aware of the risks but urges moderation.

"You don't want to overdo it on anything," he said, noting the positives that Popkin and others agree can result from caffeine, such as improved alertness. So he's pretty much putting his foot in his mouth here. I agree that moderation is everything. Have a caffeine doughnut one day and cut out McDonald's that day!

Bohannon said his idea for caffeine-enhanced baked goods began about six years ago. "I was sitting with a glass of milk and a doughnut," he said. "I needed a little jolt in the morning."

So, he began trying to create baked goods that would provide his much-loved coffee buzz by way of food. His first attempts at adding raw caffeine to doughnuts fell way short. "They were terrible, absolutely horrid," Bohannon said. "The caffeine was so bitter it would just make you puke."

He has since learned how to turn caffeine into small, flour-like particles, eliminating the bitterness and gritty texture. He also adds a vegetable oil-based coating. Bohannon, who holds a degree in molecular biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a doctorate from Baylor College of Medicine, also runs Environostics Inc. in Durham. The small company makes ultra-sensitive tests that detect pregnancy, infectious diseases and other conditions.

But with his revved-up baked goods, Bohannon believes he's on the verge of a different kind of breakthrough.

"Some people get their caffeine buzz from soda, chocolate and other sources besides coffee," he said. "The Buzz Donut and the Buzzed Bagel lets them get the caffeine buzz by simply eating a delicious pastry item."

Rock on Bohannon! I'll be at the first release for the Buzzed Bagel! See ya there!