When trying to lose weight it is vital for you to know what you are looking for when reading food labels. Here are some of the more confusing food statements.

Light/Lite
This has no legal definition. Lucozade Light may have fewer calories than the traditional glucose drink, but there are still 60 calories a can - only 25 calories less than a can of Lucozade Sport. Light Pringle Potato Chips still have 25% fat.

Cholesterol Lowering
Again no legal definition. These foods are on the verge of being covered by the Medicines Act. A lot of oat based breakfast cereals have this claim on their boxes and although research shows that eating oats can help to lower blood cholesterol levels, you would have to eat much more than a bowl of cereal each day to have even a minimal effect.

Natural
Wholesome, pure, real, healthy and similar claims shouldn’t be taken too seriously. They are a marketing ploy to make food sound even more appealing. The Government produced guidelines which suggest that a ’natural’ product should not be highly processed, but manufacturers do not have to conform.

Diet
Another claim with a legal meaning. Some products, such as Diet Coke with less than one calorie a can, are a real bonus for dieters who want to restrict calorie intake. But pick up a tin of Sparkling Diet Ribena and you are looking at a less than slimming 65 calories.

High in Protein
Another irrelevant claim. More and more foods are described this way and although it is an important nutrient, there is more than enough protein in the average diet.

Low Calorie
By law, a ‘low calorie’ food must contain no more than 40 calories in an average size serving, which makes it a good choice for anyone watching their weight. But a ‘reduced calorie’ product is not the same and anything which carries this label must have at least 25% fewer calories than the regular version of the food.

Added Vitamins and Minerals
Some foods that are fortified with vitamins and minerals, such as breakfast cereals, play an important part in the diet. But the Food Commission survey found other foods used this claim falsely to imply more extravagant health benefits. They highlighted Horlicks which claims to, help protect your body from some of the harmful effects of today’s stresses, because it has added vitamins A, C and E, but doesn’t mention that the product is 64% sugar.

High in Fibre
There is no strict definition of ‘high in fibre’. We all need more fibre than the current 20 grams a day in the average UK diet, but Government health experts advise us to eat a diet high in naturally occurring fibre, such as that in potatoes, beans and pulses. They advise against foods with ‘added fibre’ (such as plain bran) which can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb other nutrients.