This dietitian avoids ultra-processed foods that lack nutritional value.

Health experts are concerned about the fact that over 59% of the average American's caloric intake comes from ultra-processed foods, as stated in a 2017 paper in the journal Population Health Metrics.

According to Jinan Banna, a registered dietitian and professor of nutrition at the University of Hawaii, ultra-processed foods typically include ingredients not commonly found in home kitchens and often contain high levels of sugar and salt.

"Additives may be present in them, and they are frequently devoid of nutritional value. As a result, they may have minimal vitamins, minerals, and fiber."

Consuming processed foods frequently may increase the likelihood of developing health problems such as dementia, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, according to the American Medical Association.

Banna avoids highly processed foods and advises you to do the same.

'I would never consume soda,' dietitian says

Banna tells CNBC Make It that she would never consume some ultra-processed foods, including soda.

"Soda contains only calories from sugar, making them empty calories that do not provide any nutrients."

Drinking soda can cause you to feel hungry and lead to overeating, she notes.

Banna chooses tea and water instead of soda.

"Sometimes I opt for a chilled hibiscus tea. Plain water is always a great substitute, and coffee can also be a choice, consumed in moderation."

Recent research indicates that Americans consume the most ultra-processed drinks, including diet soda.

Last week at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, a preliminary study was presented that analyzed dietary data from 1995 involving over 500,000 Americans aged 50 to 71. The aim was to investigate the relationship between dietary choices and mortality rates over a 30-year period.

The most consumed ultra-processed food among those with the highest intake of ultra-processed foods was ultra-processed drinks.

According to a study, ultra-processed food consumption was mainly driven by diet soft drinks, with sugary soft drinks being the second contributor, said lead author Erikka Loftfield to CNN.

Dietary intake is largely made up of beverages, with processed drinks such as diet sodas and energy drinks being consumed more than other foods, according to Loftfield.

According to CNN, a diet high in ultra-processed foods may shorten lifespans by over 10%, as found in a study.

Use the 5/20 rule when reading nutrition labels

Banna advises following the 5/20 rule when examining the nutrition labels of the foods you consume.

"An easy way to determine if food is high or low in a specific nutrient is by using the daily value, as suggested."

Check the daily value percentages of specific nutrients like sodium, sugars or saturated fat, Banna advises.

"If the food contains 5% or less of the nutrient, it is generally low in that nutrient. If it contains 20% or more, it can be considered high in the nutrient," she explains.

"A quick glance at the label can reveal whether a food contains a little or a lot."

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