Fifth Grade
Worksheets
Milk Nutrition
Most parents have encouraged a child to drink his milk. Why is drinking milk so important? Why are there so many milk choices in the supermarket? Why don't some people enjoy milk? These are interesting questions.
First and foremost, mother mammals produce milk to feed their babies. This includes human moms. For at least the first twelve months of life, breast milk is usually the best choice for babies. It has antibodies from the mother that strengthen and protect the child's immune system. Formula would be the second choice. Milk from the store is never advised until a child reaches his first birthday.
After a year, people typically drink milk from other mammals. Cow's milk is the most common kind of milk drunk in the United States. Children from ages one to two should drink whole milk because they need the fat in whole milk for neurological development. After age two, as long as the doctor says it is fine to do so and the child is growing steadily, reduced-fat milk should be chosen.
