A few years back, a "doughnut" was considered a "do not." Deep-fried and sugary, they were on the list of Bad Foods, stuff you didn't eat — at least in public. During the fat-phobic '80s and '90s, many corner doughnut shops became tanning salons or smoothie bars.
But that's changed. Like flavored coffees and designer lettuce, doughnuts have gone gourmet. Brand-name shops like "Tommie's" and "Krispy Kreme," "Carmack's," and "Tasty's" are dotting northern Utah like sprinkles on glaze, with announcements that a Dunkin' Doughnuts will soon be moving in, too. They seem to carry a new mystique that you never noticed from a Hostess box or your neighborhood grocery-store bakery.
But with a minimal vitamin-and-mineral content, doughnuts and nutrition aren't exactly on a first-name basis. So what kind of dent will they put in your diet?
An occasional doughnut can fit into a healthy, balanced diet, said Susan Fullmer, professor of food science and nutrition at BYU and a registered dietitian. She pointed out that a Krispy Kreme Original Glazed yeast doughnut has 200 calories and 11 grams of fat.
"In a 2,000-calorie diet, you can have about 70 grams of fat per day," Fullmer said. "The trick is to stop at one. It's OK to have a doughnut after lunch, but it's when it is your lunch and it's two or three, that's a problem."
Another problem: The calorie- and fat-count goes up as you get into the fancy filled and frosted doughnuts. For example, Krispy Kreme's Glazed Devil's Food Old-Fashioned Cake Doughnut has 390 calories and 24 grams of fat — nearly double the calories and over twice as much fat.
Some people figure that "cake" doughnuts (leavened with baking powder rather than yeast) are lower in calories. But they often have twice as much fat as yeast-raised doughnuts, according to a report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
"And a chocolate or coconut coating or frosting is worse than other coatings, whether it's yeast or cake," the report added.
"Doughnuts are jam-packed with energy, but it's the wrong kind of energy," said Joan Thompson, a nutrition professor at Weber State University. "The fat they fry in is pretty saturated, which promotes heart disease and cancer."
By comparison, a plain Einstein Bros bagel has 320 calories. But at 106 grams, it's twice the weight of that 52-gram Krispy Kreme Original Glazed. It has a little more than 1 gram of fat, 2 grams of fiber, 11 grams of protein and 20 percent of the daily recommended iron. Even with 2 tablespoons of flavored whipped cream cheese, you'll only be adding 5 more grams of fat.
But when people crave doughnuts, a bagel doesn't cut it.
"The big fat-free craze went out with the '90s," said Chad Glauser, vice-president of Tasty's Enterprises, a 30-year-old Kaysville doughnut/sandwich shop that recently opened two new stores in South Ogden and Sugarhouse. "I think people are still health-conscious, but they're not going to give up things that taste good."
Health professionals have also noticed the return to fat-laden foods, said Fullmer.
"Fat-free foods weren't necessarily lower in calories, because they added more sugar for flavor," she said. "So people weren't necessarily losing weight on low-fat. I think they just got tired of not seeing results."
Customers have learned to deflect possible doughnut-eating guilt with humor.
"In our office, we have a saying that if we bought them before 10 a.m., they're calorie-free," said Haven Watkins, who was making a doughnut run for his co-workers in downtown Salt Lake City on a recent morning. "Some say they're worried about fat, but they still eat them."
Another customer, Amanda Peterson, said her office calls it "Fat-Free Friday," when doughnuts are served at that day's training meeting.
"We tell them they're not fattening as long as you don't swallow," said Sharon McLaren, manager of the downtown Tommie's.
So why the sudden passion for these deep-fried pastries? Is it more than just a rebellion against Ally McBeal and Dr. Atkins?
"They're comfort food," said customer Haven Watkins. "You like them, and they like you."
"They're a powerful mood food," agreed Thompson. "Researchers are finding more data that the fat-sugar combination has a connection with an increase in endorphin levels, that's why there's such intense pleasuring going on. There's definitely a neurochemical connection."
Endorphins are neurotransmitters in the brain that have pain-relieving properties. They are also thought to be connected to euphoric feelings, such as a "runner's high."
That's why people often say they have a "sweet tooth," said Fullmer. "But what they really have is a combination of a 'sweet-fat' tooth, where they crave the sweet-fat combination, or they would be happy with a (fat-free) jelly bean."
The desire for soothing comfort food has gone up after the Sept. 11 attacks, said Fullmer. "I've heard that people are just eating what they want."
Fullmer and other dietitians are preaching moderation rather than complete restriction of treats. Vowing to never eat a certain food, such as a doughnut, can create a heightened sensitivity or craving, so you often end up bingeing on that very food you were trying to avoid.
"You can still have it, you just decide to have it less often," she said. "Remember to eat your fruits and veggies, too."
"Doughnuts are food we grew up on and are accustomed to," said Tim Matthews, who, with his brother Burt Matthews has opened five Tommie's outlets since June 2000. "It's not a fad like many other treats that have come along, like wraps or smoothies and bagels."
But Utah's dougnut craze wouldn't have happened without Krispy Kreme, said Lincoln Spoor, who owns the Utah, Nevada and Idaho franchises. "The boom in doughnuts in this state happened after we opened in Orem last year."
Krispy Kreme has been a Southern staple since 1937, but it wasn't until the 1990s that franchises ventured across America. On the heels of huge successes in Las Vegas and Orem, Spoor is opening an outlet in Sandy Nov. 13.
"It's not about just the doughnut, we sell an experience," Spoor said.
That experience includes walking into the store and watching through the glass window as dough is squeezed out into rings, traveling on ramps and racks and conveyor belts, fried and showered with a waterfall of glaze.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts must meet company standards for things like weight, height, sheen of the glaze and shape of the ring. Those that don't make the grade are given away, Spoor said. Adding to the magic is the glowing red "Hot Doughnuts Now" sign, to signal potential customers that fresh doughnuts are coming off the line now. The cachet of the Krispy Kreme Original Glazed is eating it fresh and hot.
So why are all the other doughnut places booming, too?
"My theory is the rising tide carries all boats," Spoor said. Or, in this case, it's the rising dough. "The others out there want to copy it."
Tommie's also has a viewing window and the concept of fresh, hot, plain glazed doughnuts (they call theirs "donuts," as opposed to the usual "doughnut" spelling.) But the company wants to also be known for its large assortment — 25 different kinds, including banana cream, cookies and cream and caramel apple. Carmack's (a popular Bountiful hang-out since the 1950s), Tasty's and Tommie's all use potato flour — some folks may remember that was the hallmark of the popular well-known Spudnuts stores that started up in Salt Lake City around 1939.
"Potato flour has been the secret to produce a fluffier product, whether it's a roll or bread," said Matthews.
If you want to save some calories and make your own doughnuts, many cookware stores sell doughnut baking pans that are similar to a muffin tin. The baked versions may not taste quite as good as the real thing, but at least they have the same shape.
YEAST-RAISED DOUGHNUTS
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 (.25-ounce) packages active dry yeast
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 quarts oil for deep frying
1 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting
In a large mixing bowl combine 1 3/4 cups flour with yeast. In a saucepan, heat milk, sugar, butter and salt until butter melts. Stir milk mixture into flour along with eggs, beating with a heavy-duty electric mixer on low for 30 seconds, just to combine. Increase speed to high and beat 3 minutes. Add the remaining flour, a little at a time, stirring with a spoon to make a firm but pliable dough. Knead dough on lightly floured work surface 4 to 5 minutes until smooth and supple. Transfer to an oiled bowl. Cover and let dough rise until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
Turn dough out onto floured surface, punch down and roll out to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out doughnuts with a floured doughnut cutter; re-roll trimmings and cut them into doughnuts as well. Transfer doughnuts to baking sheets, cover and let rise 45 minutes.
Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 360 degrees. Fry doughnuts, in batches, turning several times, until golden all over. Using a slotted spoon remove doughnuts to a rack to drain. Let doughnuts cool and dredge in confectioners' sugar. Makes 18. — Allrecipes.com
POTATO DOUGHNUTS
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs, well-beaten
1 cup mashed, boiled potatoes
2 3/4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk
Blend together butter, sugar, eggs and potatoes. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla. Chill well in refrigerator so it is easier to handle and won't soak grease. Roll and cut. Fry in deep, hot fat. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. — Debby Coleman of Tooele inherited this recipe from her grandmother, Garnet Bell Carlson.
KINDERGARTEN DOUGHNUTS
This is a shortcut version.
1 package refrigerated biscuits
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Vegetable oil
Mix sugar and cinnamon. Set aside. Push a finger through each biscuit to make a very large hole in the center. Heat 1-inch deep vegetable oil to 375 degrees in a frying pan. Drop in doughnuts. Cook to a golden brown. Roll in sugar mixture. Makes 8. — From the "Heritage Cookbook," Junior League of Salt Lake City
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