Likely to contain artificial sweeteners such as Acesulfame K, Alitame, Aspartame, Cyclamate, Neotame, Saccharin, Sucralose. These are chemical flavour enhancers, used as sugar substitutes. Aspartame is 180 to 200 times sweeter than sugar and contains about four calories per gram. Neotame is 13,000 sweeter than sugar. Concerns relate to the three main components in some artificial sweeteners - phenylalanine, aspartic acid, and methanol - when processed in the body, breaking down into formic acid and formaldehyde. These have been associated with retinal eye damage and birth defects.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is the basis for plastics such as polycarbonates and is found in consumer goods such as baby bottles, plastic microwave food containers and canned food and beverage linings. On October 2008, Canada became the first country to formally declare BPA hazardous to human health, due to its links with a wide range of health disorders from infertility, breast and prostate cancer, to thyroid malfunction, attention deficit syndrome and recurrent miscarriage. It is commonly found in PVC and PS plastic packaging (cordial bottles, yoghurt tubs) and in the lining of canned food tins.

Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world. It is highly addictive and causes unpleasant withdrawal symptoms (headaches being the most common) if you stop drinking it suddenly. Most people get their caffeine fixes from coffee and tea, but it is also present in cola drinks, energy drinks and chocolate (the darker the chocolate, the more caffeine it contains).

Caffeine is a strong diuretic and can cause insomnia, tremors and reduced fertility in men. It's bad news for pregnant women too.