Final answer:
Ingredients on food packaging must be listed in descending order by weight, with the most plentiful ingredients first. Nutrition facts labels help consumers make informed choices by displaying nutrients and ingredients.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct way to list ingredients and sub-ingredients on food packaging for sale to customers for use at home is in descending order by weight. This means that ingredients are listed starting with the largest amounts at the beginning of the list and proceeding to those in smaller amounts. The principle behind this is to inform consumers about the proportion of each ingredient relative to the others. It's important to note that the ingredients that are most nutritious are not necessarily listed first.
A nutrition facts label is also present on packaged foods, showing the nutrient content per serving as well as the ingredients. The label assists consumers in making informed choices by identifying how much of each nutrient — such as vitamins and minerals — is supplied by one serving of the food. By understanding how to read this label, consumers can select foods that are high in nutrients they need more of and low in nutrients they need less of. Moreover, choosing whole foods over processed foods is recommended for a healthier diet, as whole foods retain more nutrients.