Final answer:
The first step in reading food labels is to check the serving size and total servings, as it helps understand the context for the rest of the nutritional information. The ingredients list is also crucial for identifying the quality of ingredients present in the food.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first step in the stepwise method for reading food labels is to check the serving size and total servings. This information is crucial because it sets the context for understanding the rest of the nutritional information provided.
Serving size will tell you the recommended amount of food that the nutritional values on the label refer to, helping you gauge how much of those nutrients you'll be consuming based on how many servings you eat. After identifying the serving size, you would then look at the number of calories per serving and subsequently move on to check other nutrient content, such as fat, carbohydrates, and protein, as well as the percent daily values (% DV) of various nutrients which are based on a daily diet of 2,000 calories.
Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, with those appearing first being present in the largest amounts. Reading the ingredients list is essential for identifying food items that are more nutritious, preferring whole ingredients like whole grains, vegetables, and fruits over processed ones.