article: We're all guilty of it but there are some who do it more often than others. Experts say snacking is an important way to control hunger; and while we would like to think we reach for something healthy like carrot sticks, raisins or a handful of almonds, more often than not it's salty crisps, sweet biscuits or cheap chocolate that we tend to munch on. But why exactly do we snack? And if we knew what the triggers were, would we be able to stop ourselves from reaching for unhealthy foods? Scroll down for video . We're all guilty of snacking, but there are some who do it more often than others . Femail has worked with dietitian Lucy Jones from The Almond Board of California to study snacking habits in the UK and identified three tribes of snackers: Snack Amnesiacs, Situational Snackers and Super Snackers. Ms Jones's research has revealed the habits which lead us to nibble needlessly, identifying the behaviours and reasons behind these three distinct snack tribes: . Ms Jones told Femail: 'Snack Amnesiacs are mindless munchers who subconsciously snack, opening something and eating far more than they intended. 'More often than not, these snackers have no concept of what or how much they are eating. According to Ms Jones, those who are stressed out due to environmental or emotional pressures are Situational Snackers. This tribe often have busy schedules which causes them to skip meals. Then there are the Super Snackers. 'They are the snack savvy, who recognise energy lows and tummy grumbles and plan ahead. This tribe only nibble sensibly, as and when their body tells them to,' Ms Jones said. Ms Jones is encouraging women to revamp their snacking habits by trying the 21 Day Snack Happy challenge: a simply snack on a handful of almonds once a day for 21 days. 'Snacking is important to help control hunger and provide essential nutrients. We all lead such busy lives and juggle a variety of tasks and commitments every day, often resulting in long gaps between meals. 'The Snack Happy Challenge works well because 21 days is the length of time it takes to form a habit, or swap a bad habit for a good one. Planning ahead and arming yourself with a handful of almonds will really help to get you through the day.' 'As a high source of fibre and containing 15 essential nutrients, almonds are the perfect snack you can feel good about,' she said. Take our quiz to find out just what sort of snacker you are and how to change your bad habits. 1. Do you ever find yourself picking up food for comfort? If you answered yes go to Question 3. If you answered no go to Question 2. 2. Do you feel like you are aware of your snacking habits? If you answered yes go to Question 5. If you answered no go to Question 4. 3. Do you often find yourself reaching for whatever foods are nearest to hand in order to keep your hunger pangs at bay? If you answered yes go to Question 6. If you answered no go to Question 4. 4. Do you regularly plan out your nutrient intake in advance, even on busy days? If you answered yes go to Question 8. If you answered no go to Question 6. 5. When you’re having a busy day, can you usually stay strong and avoid snacking on things you feel are bad for you? If you answered no go to Question 4. If you answered yes go to Question 8. 6. Does your busy schedule often mean you have no time to prepare and eat a full lunch? If you answered Yes you are a Situational Snacker. If you answered no go Go Question 7. 7. Do you often find yourself opening a packet of biscuits only meaning to eat one, but suddenly find the packet is empty? If you answered yes you are a Snack Amnesiac. If you answered no you are a Super Snacker. 8. If you were asked to remember everything you’d nibbled on throughout the day, would you remember every mouthful? If you answered Yes you are a Super Snacker. If you answered no go to question 7. _____________________________________________________________________________ . If you are a Situational Snacker: . The Situational Snacker is a very busy bee and often doesn't have the time to prepare and eat a full meal during her day. To fill up, the situational snacker will grab snacks throughout the day, whilst she can. Nibbling on the children's packed lunch leftovers for breakfast whilst she chops up the carrots, snacking in the car for lunch after doing the food shop, or quickly scoffing half a sandwich before the company meeting is common for this type of snacker. If you're a 'Situational Snacker' you might find that emotional pressures, stress and a particularly busy day can cause you to snack, even if not hungry, and you may be particularly prone to pick at food as a comfort mechanism. Lucy Jones' advice: 'Almost three quarters (73 per cent) of women in the UK said that stress lead them to overlook their nutrient intake. This is an issue I often see, and it can have a serious impact on health. If women aren't dedicating time to their diet and thinking carefully about their nutrient intake, they could be at risk of over or under eating. 'The key is to snack sensibly and make sure you have something nutritious to nibble on at your desk, in the kitchen, in the car, or wherever the hunger pangs strike. The nutrients in almonds make them a perfect snack to enjoy between meals. Almonds are also a high source of magnesium, which contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue, so they really are the perfect snack to keep you going through a busy day.' If you are a Snack-Amnesiac: . Throughout her day, the Snack-Amnesiac will graze on the foods closest to hand, without even realising she's doing it. Munching through a share-size bag of crisps whilst watching the telly when she only meant to eat a handful, reaching for the plate of biscuits during a lull in the board meeting and even waking up in the middle of the night and sleepwalking to the kitchen to nibble on some leftovers from the fridge are just a few examples of the mindless snacking habit in action. Do you find yourself opening a packet of biscuits only meaning to eat one, but suddenly the packet is empty? If you were asked to remember everything you'd nibbled on throughout the day, would you remember every mouthful? If you find yourself snacking on food without even realising, you could well be a Snack-Amnesiac and you're not alone – research commissioned by the Almond Board of California has shown that 90 per cent of women in the UK admit to snacking mindlessly throughout the day. Lucy Jones' advice: 'Research has shown that women are typically lacking in fibre and often eat higher levels of the daily recommended allowance of saturated fat. 'With 90 per cent of women suspected of suffering from Snack-Amnesia1 and eating anything close to hand without taking the nutrient content into account, it isn't difficult to see how diets become unbalanced. However, if you are a 'Snack Amnesiac,' there are easy ways you can ensure you're still achieving a balanced diet. Almonds are a high source of fibre and just a handful (approximately 30g or 23 almonds) a day can boost your nutrient intake. These great little nuts are also high in unsaturated fat, and in fact, a recent study published in the European Journal of Nutrition found that a mid-morning snack of almonds helped control appetite and resulted in reduced calorie intake by the participants during the rest of the day. If Snack-Amnesiacs keep a handful of almonds close by, this could help to curb the cravings and the mindless munching later in the day. If you are a Super Snacker: . The Super Snacker is a woman who is well aware of her snacking habits and despite a busy day, or the odd sweet craving, she'll do what she can to stay strong and find the foods she needs to help get her through – no matter what the day might bring. Busy day of meetings and no time for lunch – the super snacker will ensure she's got a steady supply of her favourite nutritional snacks pre-packed and close to hand to see her through. Prone to an afternoon lull – the Super Snacker will have a nutritious pick-me up ready to go. Craving an evening treat after a long day – the Super Snacker will reach for a snack from the well-stocked healthy snack jar. Do you pack a snack in your handbag each day? Are you familiar with the times of day that you need an extra boost? If so, like one in five women in the UK, you could be a Super Snacker. Lucy Jones' advice: 'Well-balanced snacking is a great way to stay on top of your hunger pangs and ensure a daily dose of the nutrients that your body needs. But healthy and happy snacking needn't be difficult or dull. 'As most Super Snackers know, there are some simple tricks to help adopt happy snacking habits. Mixing up different textures and flavours adds variety to your daily food intake. 'Pack a punch with a nutritiously crunchy handful of almonds added to some mango for sweetness, or even dark chocolate for a more indulgent snack.'
highlights: Snack amnesiacs are mindless munchers who subconsciously snack .
  Situational snackers have busy schedules and are often stressed out .
  Super snackers plan ahead and nibble only when their body tells them to .
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