Is snacking healthy?

Eating three square meals a day is so 2017. These days, more than half of Americans’ eating occasions are snacks, and 91 percent of us snack multiple times a day, according to the Hartman Group, a research firm. Is this healthy?

Diabetes monitor, Cholesterol diet and healthy food eating nutritional concept with clean fruits in nutritionist's heart dish and patient's blood sugar control record with diabetic measuring tool kit — **1. If you have a certain health condition …** For people with diabetes or high cholesterol, smaller, more frequent eating occasions may be helpful in controlling blood glucose and cholesterol levels. Mini-meals can also ease digestive symptoms for people with gastrointestinal disorders like gastroparesis. In these cases, as well as other situations in which you’re snacking for health and energy, you may want to choose beverages or foods without a lot of sugar and with caffeine, protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Try, for example: An unsweetened latte or cappuccino
–Snack kits with cheese, fruit and nuts or meat, cheese and crackers
–Yogurt
–Cottage cheese with fruit or cherry tomatoes
–Individual cups of cereal with either milk or yogurt
–Bean dips with bean chips **[See: 10 Healthful Snacks That Won’t Break the Calorie Bank.]** (Getty Images/iStockphoto/noipornpan)

Some studies have suggested that if your friends are heavy, you will tend to be too. Is this idea holding up? (Getty Images/iStockphoto/shih-wei) — **2. If you’re watching your weight …** Due to the way many snacks are packaged, eating them can be a portion-controlled way to make it easier to stay within a calorie cap. If this sounds like you, consider snacking on:
–Salsa with raw vegetables
–Kale, roasted carrot or beet chips
–Whole fruit
–Freeze-dried fruit in snack bags
–Roasted chickpeas, fava beans or soybeans in small containers or bags
–Portion-controlled bean dip or hummus with veggies
–100-calorie bags of popcorn (Getty Images/iStockphoto/shih-wei)

Research shows strength training can delay cognitive decline, improve bone health and manage chronic conditions. (Thinkstock) — **3. If you’re super active …** For athletes and active people, snacking can distribute nutrients throughout the day in a way that provides energy without too much volume or subsequent digestive distress. A strategically timed snack can also help you prepare or repair from a workout. Because snacks like smoothies can also be in liquid form, they can be a great opportunity for hydration *and* nutrition. To fuel a workout, try: –Fruit- and yogurt-based smoothies
–Bars made with fruit and nuts
–A peanut butter and banana wrap
–Yogurt parfait
–Chocolate milk and a granola bar
–Cheese, crackers and a small bottle or can of juice
–Jerky and a small handful of pretzels with water **[See: 5 Healthy — and Tasty — Smoothie Ingredients.]** (Getty Images/iStockphoto/PaulBiryukov)

4. If you just don’t have time … When you’re on deadline at work or too busy to sit down to a meal, snacks can provide an energy boost and help tide you over until the next eating occasion. A snack fuels the body as well as the brain, and may help you be more productive. Kids and teens with after-school activities may find that an after-school snack helps them to better focus on homework, music lessons or sports. In these cases, consider items that are portable, nonperishable and require minimal preparation, such as: –Individual packets of nut butters
–1-ounce packages of nuts or seeds
–Fresh fruit with a relatively long shelf life, such as apples, pears, oranges or bananas
–Dried fruit, such as raisins and prunes
–Freeze-fried fruit
–Jerky or meat-based bars
–Reusable containers of trail mix or cereal
–Individual containers of soup
–Whole-grain crackers [See: 8 Tasty Keto Diet-Friendly Snacks.] (iStock)

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Snacking should not just be an exercise in mouth movement. If you snack out of habit and not due to hunger, chances are you will exceed your daily calorie requirements. If you are eating regular meals and grab a snack out of boredom or just because the food is there, snacking will not be helpful or healthy. Snacking a lot after dinner, too, could result in sleep impairment, weight gain and elevated blood glucose, triglyceride and cholesterol levels, as well as digestive symptoms such as reflux.

Snacks can be part of your day if you need them (and, on occasion, if you just want them), but be strategic regarding quality, quantity and frequency to make your snacks work for you.

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Is Snacking Healthy? originally appeared on usnews.com