Snacking during the day? Here's why the quality and timing of your noshing matter, according to a new study.

With over 90% of U.S. adults having at least one snack per day, snacking is clearly a staple of the American diet. While some think snacking can lead to poor health outcomes, others see it as a way to meet their nutritional needs and provide some energy throughout the day.

A new U.K.-based study tries to settle this debate, looking at how snacking affects health and if the quality of the snack makes a difference. What the researchers learned is that the quality and timing of snacks influence your health more than the quantity or frequency of them.

So what do dietitians think about the study? And what do they recommend for healthy snacking? Here’s what experts have to say.

What the study says

As part of Zoe PREDICT 1, the largest in-depth nutrition study in the world, researchers from King’s College London examined the snacking patterns of 1,001 adult U.K. residents over two to four days. Through food diaries and blood sugar monitors, they studied when people snacked, the types of snacks consumed and the quantity of snacks eaten.

The study found that 95% of participants ate at least one snack a day, averaging a little over two snacks each day, making up 22% of their daily caloric intake. Over half of the participants finished the majority of their snacking by 6 p.m., but a third of the people had most of their snacks after 9 p.m.

What are the key findings?

Here’s what the researchers found:

• Snacking, independent of meals, can improve health.

• Higher-quality, nutrient-dense snacks are associated with favorable triglyceride levels and responses to insulin.

• People who snacked after 9 p.m. had worse blood glucose and blood fat levels compared to daytime snackers. That may be because of the types of snacks they were eating or because late night snacking shortens the overnight fasting period.

• Poor-quality snacks — namely, those high in sugar, salt and saturated fat — were also linked to having worse blood glucose and blood fat levels.

• The researchers didn’t find a relationship between how much and how often study participants snacked and these heart health measures.

“Our study showed that the quality of snacking is more important than the quantity or frequency of snacking, thus choosing high-quality snacks over highly processed snacks is likely beneficial,” Kate Bermingham, one of the study’s co-authors and a postdoctoral fellow at King’s College London, said. “Timing is also important, with late night snacking being unfavorable for health.”

What experts think

Experts say that overall, these findings help ease common concerns about snacking and support that well-balanced, nutritious snacks can be an important part of a healthy lifestyle. “Having balanced, nutritious snacks can help you to feel full and satisfied in between meals so that you’re less likely to have cravings and you’re less likely to overeat in general,” dietitian Jamie Nadeau tells Yahoo Life.

Alyssa Pacheco, dietitian from the PCOS Nutritionist, points out that unlike many past studies that focused on how much you eat, this study conveys that optimal health may be more related to what you eat.

But there are some factors to consider with the study. The majority of participants (73%) were female, meaning study outcomes may differ with other demographics. Participants also self-reported their snacking habits over just a few days, which is not a long time to evaluate dietary patterns.

Additionally, Pacheco worries that the study doesn’t provide enough information on the quality or quantity of the participants’ main meals. “If someone is avoiding carbohydrates or skipping meals earlier in the day, we can expect that they may feel more hungry later on in the day and that they may gravitate towards less nutrient-dense snacks,” she warns.

Although snacking after 9 p.m. was linked to having worse blood glucose and blood fat levels, Pacheco says: “There’s no magical time that makes a snack automatically unhealthy.” Instead, she explains if you find yourself frequently snacking at night, you’ll want to examine your meals to see if you’re getting enough nutrition throughout the day.

Nadeau agrees, saying: “If your diet quality isn’t good throughout the day, you’re more likely to experience snackiness and cravings later. Then, you end up overeating and oversnacking at night.”

She adds: “You’re also less likely to choose nutritious snacks at night.”

Why it matters

Snacking is an opportunity to help you meet your nutrition needs, and it can be good for your health.

So what makes for a quality snack? It’s one that includes a source of fiber with protein and/or a healthy fat. This combination helps satisfy your hunger, keeps your blood sugar levels stable between meals and promotes longer-lasting energy levels, say experts.

Well-balanced snacks include:

• Apple with peanut butter.

• Multigrain crackers with cheese.

• Bell peppers with hummus.

• Greek yogurt with berries.

• Mixed nuts.

Experts agree that your best bet is to eat every three to five hours during the day to avoid getting too hungry and having major dips in your blood sugar levels. “A snack should be the bridge between one meal and the next,” says Nadeau.

If you find yourself craving low-nutrient foods, Nadeau recommends thinking about what you can add to that craving to make it more nourishing. “Instead of just having chips alone, pair them with a slice of cheese or a high-protein dip,” she suggests. Or try crumbling that cookie into some Greek yogurt.

Maxine Yeung is a dietitian and board-certified health and wellness coach.