Food for Muscle - Essay Sample

Food is a basic need and forms one of the necessities in the base of Maslows pyramid. The human body requires food to be healthy and to maintain a homeostasis in all the organs and organ systems. These organs are made of different material of natural origin. In particular, they are composed of bone, muscle, tendons, blood, nerves, and blood vessel. These organ systems perform all the functions of the body including motion, respiration, support, and coordination. The food taken by human beings in raw form is processed to fine materials that these organs utilize in their function. Among these substances are amino acids that are used in building muscle tissues around the body. Amino acids come from proteins which include meat, eggs, and milk. There are also proteins of plant origins that include peas, groundnuts, and beans. A balanced diet must therefore contain a source of protein to maintain healthy muscles. In the movie Rocky, the star wins most of his boxing matches due to his strong muscles developed through regular exercise and balanced diet that contains proteins.

Rocky Balboa stuns the crowd after knocking out an international boxing champion in his maiden fight in Philadelphia. What stands out in the duet is Rockys amazing skill in absorbing punches from his opponents. He has strong muscles in the arms which allow him to do this extraordinary stunt. In addition to absorbing the knocks, the muscles provide the much needed energy that he uses to thrust his opponent to the ground in the first round. The viewer of this movie can trace the source of Rockys power. At one point, he takes raw eggs. In another episode, Rocky markets his brothers meat business. He also uses meat carcasses as punch bags during his exercises. There is a common thread in three of these instances. The director of the film subtly portrays protein as the source of muscular power. The director concentrates on proteins of animal sources and puts no emphasis on plant protein. However, plants proteins are equally important in the building of muscles and maintaining a steady amino acid supply in the body.

Animal protein comes from the muscles and tendons of the carcass slaughtered for meat (Lafargan & Hayes 231). Plant proteins are stored in the seeds as a source of energy for the plant and their embryos. Similarly, egg protein is used to make muscles for the growing chick. When human consume muscles from the meat or eggs, the proteins in the food is extracted in the stomach to amino acids. The mechanical action of the teeth facilitates the digestion of proteins in the stomach. An enzyme called pepsin in the stomach breaks down the raw form of protein to amino acids that can easily enter the bloodstream. In the blood, the amino acids are taken to the liver and other cells in the body. Some of the amino acids are used by the liver cells to make hormones and other cellular products that ate proteins in nature. The rest of the proteins make muscular proteins that include collagen, elastin, and troponins. These proteins combine with each other in a strictly controlled process to enlarge various muscles in the body. Some of these proteins are used to make the bone and the tendons which are collectively called the connective tissue (Hulshof 46).

Once the muscles are manufactured and attached together, the body can increase their size depending on the frequency of use. The theory of use and disuse applies to the muscles in the most appropriate way. By punching the meat carcasses, Rocky improves the size of his arm muscles and powers them in preparation for a boxing match. The body must also be replenished with a constant supply of proteins in the building of muscles. In the same manner, infrequent use of the muscle leads to their deterioration. In times of starvation, the body can retrieve the proteins stored in the muscles to make energy for the vital organs of the body. Proteins are not a ready form of energy and are only utilized when the body runs out of ready reserves like glucose. This is because proteins have to be converted to forms that can be used as energy precursors (Heldt et al. 312). Nonetheless, proteins are very useful in starvation since they keep the vital body organs running.

Proteins are very pivotal in the manufacture and maintenance of strong muscles. The case of Rockys triumph in the ring is an example to qualify this importance. Both plant and animal proteins are digested in the body to make amino acids. The body then uses amino acids to make proteins, some of which are deposited in the muscles. Regular use of the muscles increases their size, while the body deposits more amino acids in response to this demand. Starvation leads to the exhaustion of glucose which is a ready for of energy. In such cases, proteins provide a reserve of energy which is used to keep the vital organs running. Therefore, in addition to making muscles, the protein in the food is very important for the body in fasting and starvation.

Works Cited

Heldt, Frank S., et al. "Community control in cellular protein production: consequences for amino acid starvation." Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A 373.2056 (2015): 20150107.

Hulshof, Tetske. "Processing influence on protein digestion and post-absorptive amino acid utilisation in growing pigs." (2016).50107.Lafarga, Tomas, and Maria Hayes. "Bioactive peptides from meat muscle and by-products: generation, functionality and application as functional ingredients." Meat science 98.2 (2014): 227-239.