Why Is It Important To Eat Healthy Diet?

A healthy, well-balanced diet can help you get enough energy and nutrients for optimal growth and development, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. It can also lower your risk for some chronic conditions and help you stay at a healthy weight. Your healthy diet can include many different types of foods that you enjoy.

Components

Medline Plus, the medical encyclopedia from the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, reports that your healthy diet should include plenty of fruit, vegetables and whole-grain foods such as oatmeal, brown rice and whole wheat bread. It also suggests including low-fat milk products and healthy sources of protein and heart-healthy fats. You should also limit foods high in saturated and trans fats, as well as foods high in salt and sugar. A healthy diet is also one that stays within your daily calorie needs to help you control your weight.

Nutrition Benefits

One of the most important reasons to eat a healthy diet is to get enough energy, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that your body needs to function properly. Vitamins and minerals are important for your bone health, nervous system health, muscle contraction and many other essential chemical reactions that take place in your body. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, reports that the best way to get enough vitamins and minerals is by eating a healthy diet that includes a variety of foods.

Disease Risk

A poor diet is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, some types of cancer, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions, according to the "Dietary Guidelines for Americans," published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A poor diet can also increase your chances of becoming overweight or obese, which also increases your risk for these chronic conditions.

Recommendations

One way to find out how many calories you need each day and how much food from each food group you need is to use the "MyPyramid" program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This free tool follows the healthy eating recommendations from the "Dietary Guidelines for Americans" and can provide you with an estimate of how many calories you need each day based on you age, gender, height, weight and physical activity habits. It can guide you toward proper portion sizes of fruit, vegetables, grains and meats based on your calorie needs.

Considerations

The Harvard School of Public Health reports that you can put together your own diet plan that includes a variety of nutrient-dense, healthy foods. It suggests visiting with a nutritionist or a registered dietitian if you are unsure of how much to eat of certain foods. A nutritionist can help you put together a healthy diet plan that meets your specific goals, needs and requests.