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?

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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