Behind the label:

Expert nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed says: "Sweeteners have been a controversial issue in the UK and Europe for a number of years. However, it's important to remember that, after a lot of research, they have been approved for use in our foods and – within the limits recommended – are recognised as safe for human consumption."

"Sweeteners are used in foods as a replacement to sugar and therefore replicate a sweet taste. There is some argument that to reduce sugar intakes it would be best to reduce the 'sweetness' we have become accustomed to in our foods, but we don't have enough research to make any solid recommendation on this."

"When it comes to caffeine, it's important that pregnant women, young children and those sensitive to caffeine limit their intakes. For everyone else (unless medically advised), the EFSA suggest that caffeine intakes up to 400mg do not raise safety concerns."

"Most fluids count towards our recommendation for 6-8 glasses of fluid a day. However, ultimately all we need to stay hydrated is water. Water is also the best option to keep us hydrated as it contains no calories or sugar and has a neutral pH. This means that it can help us to hydrate without supplying excess calories, sugar, or damaging our teeth!"

Because branded vegetable crisps are marketed as 'healthy', it means we may feel we can eat more of them, when in fact they have a similar nutritional value to traditional potato crisps. In one study, participants ate 35% more of a product they believed to be healthy (read the study). When it comes to crisps that are marketed as 'healthy', the most concerning aspect of these products is their high fat content.

Including some fat in our diet is essential, as it's a vital aspect in providing energy and helping our bodies absorb vitamins. However, any excess fat consumed is stored in the body as adipose tissue (fat). Foods such as crisps are a problem if consumed too often, as they are high in fat and offer no nutritional value. Therefore, eating too many too often can lead to weight gain.

Eating too many crisps containing an excess of saturated fats could be especially concerning, as saturated fats can cause cholesterol to rise and increase your risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke. Studies have also linked saturated fats to insulin resistance, which can lead to type-2 diabetes (Harvard Health Publications).

The nature of the saturated fat content from sunflower oil in crisps means we also risk ingesting too much omega-6. Some experts argue if the brain absorbs too much omega-6 and not enough omega-3, it may lead to mental health issues, obesity and cancer (read the study). More research is needed in this field, however.

Expert nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed says: "The concern with products that are often seen as 'healthier alternatives' such as vegetable crisps, is they don't always match up to their reputations. Crisps are crisps, and even if they are made with vegetables, they are likely to contain too much in the way of fat, saturated fat and salt. In fact, the vegetable crisps here have higher levels of saturated fat and salt than some well-known, regular crisp brands."

"Additionally, there is a danger that people may consume more of a product if they consider it to be 'healthier'. As a nutritionist, I've seen this first hand in weight loss clinics where clients may eat even as much as double a portion size of a product if it's perceived to be healthy. With a product similar to these crisps, that could mean a person ends up eating more than double the amount of fat, saturated fat or salt."

"The government advises that we reduce the amount of fat, saturated fat, and salt we eat, and therefore these vegetable crisps might not be the best snack if you're looking for a healthier option. Better alternatives could include fruits and vegetables, plain yogurts, vegetable sticks and dips, nuts and seeds. Or you could try making your own vegetable crisps at home and using only a little oil, and spices such as paprika instead of salt for flavourings."

Expert nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed says: "Although these breakfast pots are fine to include in the diet in moderation – and are likely to contain some nutrients too – having them every day may result in a person going over their 'free sugar' recommendations on a regular basis."

"People often perceive that these products are 'healthy options' but, as you can see from the stats above, they can actually contain a lot of sugar. It's important to note that a lot of the sugar may come from lactose in the yogurt and also from the sugar naturally present in the fruit. However, the sugar in a fruit compote is still a 'free sugar' – the type of sugars the government want us to cut down on – simply because it's concentrated and doesn't contain the fibre and other benefits that we may get from eating whole fruits."

"On top of this, a yogurt pot like this often has other added sources of sugar – for example, there are around four different types of sugar added into this breakfast pot, on top of the sugar available in the lactose and the fruit compote."

Expert nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed says: "The calories and sugar content of alcohol often get ignored, especially as most alcoholic drinks are exempt from nutritional labelling laws. It is therefore easy for people to drink excess alcohol, unaware of how much they are actually consuming."

"However, many alcoholic drinks, especially cider, are high in sugar and calories and so drinking excess alcohol over time could lead to weight gain. For people trying to lose weight, it can be easy to ignore the calories you may be consuming in the local pub on a Friday night, but these calories soon add up. In fact, Drink Aware suggests the calories in two pints of cider are roughly equivalent to consuming one-and-a-half burgers."

"It's a good idea to spread drinks out, so you're less likely to consume too much alcohol, sugar or calories in one go. Additionally, you could try going for smaller portions of alcoholic drinks and making them last longer, or finding out if there are low-calorie options available. Always try and drink water at the same time as consuming alcohol, to help you to stay hydrated."

Expert nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed says: "The government recommends limiting the amount of sugar, especially 'free sugars' that children consume every day. The early years are an important time to get eating habits right and, as eating patterns can be tracked from early life to adulthood, establishing healthy eating (and healthy snacking) is important from a young age."

"Although these products are based on fruit, they don't compare to whole fruits, as whole fruits contain plenty of nutrients and fibre that's likely to be completely missing from these fruit roll products. In the UK, many of us don't consume enough fibre and so it's better to focus on healthy nutrient and fibre-rich snacks such as crackers, whole fruits and vegetables, and wholegrains."

"In the UK we also have high rates of childhood tooth decay and frequent sugar consumption is part of the reason for this. Healthier snacks are likely to be lower in sugar and not stick to the teeth in the way processed fruit products may."