A protein is a type of compound that makes up linear chains of amino acids. Metabolism breaks down proteins into amino acids to become the building blocks of muscle. The most basic molecules of proteins are hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. These molecules allow your body to have a positive nitrogen balance and build muscle.
Muscles
Muscle cells are one of the four major cell categories found in your body. Further, your body has three types of muscle cells: skeletal, smooth and cardiac. If you want to build your visible muscles, you will want to gain skeletal muscle. The term muscle refers to a number of muscle fibers bound together by connective tissues. In the cytoplasm of your skeletal muscle cells, there are filaments known as myofibrils. These filaments contain myosin, actin, troponin and tropomyosin. The interaction of the substances in these myofibrils causes your muscles to contract.
Foods and Muscles
Foods that can help you build muscle include eggs, lean red meat and poultry. Additionally, milk contains approximately 8 g of protein per 250 ml. Seafood is another food high in protein that supports muscle building. For example, a can of tuna can have as much as 30 g of protein.
More Foods for Muscles
Peanuts are a good non-animal source of protein because they provide energy for your body and contain unsaturated fats. Cottage cheese contains casein and glutamine. Glutamine comprises about 65 percent of your body's amino acid pool and facilitates the growth of muscles in your body. Further, although not strictly a food, you can also use whey protein health supplements to support muscle growth since whey protein contains milk proteins. Kidney beans also have a high protein content and are low in fats and high in minerals.
Vegetarian Foods
According to "Protein Structure and Function," vegetarians should mix grains with seeds, milk products and legumes to produce an adequate quantity of quality proteins for building or maintaining good muscle health. Since meat protein sources are generally better sources of protein for muscle building, vegetarians may want to consider using non-dairy protein health supplements. You should, however, speak with a medical professional prior to taking any health supplement.
Additional Recommendations
According to "Scrawny to Brawny: The Complete Guide to Building Muscle the Natural Way," when building muscle, you should drink at least eight 8 oz. glasses of water per day. Water supports kidney function and helps your body process protein properly. Further, "The Book of Muscle" recommends that you eat a minimum of 1.5 g to 3.3 g of protein each day divided between your meals to support muscle growth.
References
- "Scrawny to Brawny: The Complete Guide to Building Muscle the Natural Way"; Michael Mejia and John Berardi; March 2005
- "Men's Health: The Book of Muscle : The World's Most Authoritative Guide to Building Your Body"; Lou Schuler and Ian King; 2003
- "Introduction to Protein Structure"; Carl Branden and John Tooze; 1999
- "Protein Stucture and Function"; Gregory A. Petsko and Dagmar Ringe; 2003
- "Proteins: Structures and Molecular Properties"; Thomas E. Creighton; 1992
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