Know your nutrients

Recent research shows that the type of fat you eat is more important than the amount. So on the new label, the "calories from fat" line was removed. You can still find grams and percent daily values for both saturated and trans fats. That's because eating too much of these types of fats can increase your risk of heart disease. Aim to limit saturated fats to less than 10% of your daily calories. Trans fats don't appear to have any known health benefits and experts recommend keeping your intake as low as possible.

Vitamin D, potassium, calcium and iron are required on the new label. Vitamin D and potassium are new additions, because research suggests that Americans don't always get enough of these nutrients. Vitamin A and vitamin C deficiencies are rare today, so they are optional on the new label. The new label will also include the actual amount (in milligrams or micrograms) along with the percent daily value.