Milk comes from a group of animals called mammals. It is loaded with good vitamins for our bodies, but some people don't drink it.
Milk and your body
In China, grown-ups do not drink a lot of milk. Babies need milk to make them strong and healthy. Milk has protein (pro-teen), which builds muscle. It also has calcium (kal-see-um), which builds strong teeth and bones. It has fat, which helps the body to use vitamins. In the west, people drink a lot of milk. They drink it, or make cream, cheese or ice-cream from it. Some people like cheese on pizzas.
Milk has most of the nutrients our bodies need.
Animals that give us milk
We can get milk from any mammal. Most often, milk is taken from cows. A cow makes milk after she has had a calf. That is the baby's food. In Tibet, people use yaks for milk. In Mongolia, horses are also used for milk. In desert countries, people use camels to get milk. Goats and sheep are also used to get milk. Sheep and goat milk is often used to make special cheese.
