Caffeine, our everyday Buzz, does it really work?

Doughnuts with caffeine?

The caffeine- powered doughnut is invented. Look where we have come from the days the goats ate the red coffee berries back in the year 850 as the Legend of goat herder Kaldi of Ethiopia says. He experienced the berries "power" himself and since, we all have come to know coffee and its buzz. The caffeine is what makes us "wake up" after drinking our coffee and now we have it in pastries too!

Adding caffeine to baked goods? The idea of mixing caffeine in bagels and pastries was introduced as the researchers found a way to eliminate the bitter taste of caffeine. Therefore, the doughnuts taste will remain unchanged while they will contain an amount of caffeine equivalent to a 5-ounce cup of coffee, "Buzz Donuts". Yes, after all, we are living in a world with countless possibilities and combinations like these can suit so many people as we all seem to be in such a hurry. Grabbing a "buzz donut" can make things easier at times and oh, they are so tempting!

Regardless where caffeine is, its consumption has the same effects but, when we think about it, the doughnuts do have extra calories and fat when compared to a cup of "good old" coffee.

Anyway, caffeinated pastries have all the chances to become popular in our time when everyone looks for "instant" solutions for each problem.

Coffee 'no buzz' after all?

University of Bristol researchers say the caffeine eases withdrawal symptoms which build up overnight, but does not make people more alert than normal. The work, presented to the British Nutrition Foundation conference, showed only people who have avoided coffee for a while will get a buzz from caffeine.

Zoe Wheeldon, of the British Coffee Association, said the research was interesting; she added: "There are two sides to the debate and a wealth of scientific evidence suggests that moderate coffee consumption of four to five cups per day is perfectly safe for the general population and does have a beneficial effect on alertness and performance even in regular coffee drinkers."

Those who swear by their morning caffeine fix say it wakes them up, and if they missed out they would feel sluggish and unable to get on with their day.

The Bristol researchers, who carried out a review of previous studies into the effects of caffeine, say all the drink does is counteract the mild caffeine withdrawal symptoms people are experiencing because they have gone without the stimulant overnight. And those who drink a caffeinated drink first thing are no more alert than those who never consume one.

Professor Peter Rogers, a biological psychologist who led the research, told the BBC: "We do feel a boost from caffeine in the morning, but that's probably due to a reversal of the withdrawal symptoms." So that alertness you feel is you getting back to normal, rather than to an above normal level. That morning boost is what people think is useful about caffeine, but if that doesn't happen, maybe it's not that useful after all.

Professor Rogers said caffeine did have some benefits, such as preventing cognitive decline in the elderly, yet he said it was usually be best to opt for decaffeinated drinks.

Canadian researchers report states that Caffeine intake makes insulin more resistant to changes in blood sugar levels.

This effect was observed both in patients with and those without diabetes and could not be reversed with regular exercise or weight.

The findings, published in the medical journal Diabetes Care, seem to contradict recent reports that coffee intake may cut the risk of diabetes, Ross noted.

However, coffee contains several other substances that may affect sugar metabolism, such as antioxidants, potassium and magnesium. "When you give somebody caffeine without all of the other substances that are in coffee you have a very different situation," he added.

So we can decide for ourselves what to do, keeping our mug faithfully to our side or…go without as we’ll feel the same anyway?