What is the importance of milk in human health

In a baby's first year of life, breast milk or formula is crucial for health. Breast milk/formula can be easily digested and contains all the nutrients necessary for the baby's growth. After a year, it's not necessary for a child to continue drinking breast milk or start drinking cow milk, as long as the child has other sources of calcium and protein (meat, fish, eggs, yogurt, etc). In fact, there are many cultures that don't traditionally drink milk. In vegetarian cultures however, milk and other dairy products are often very important sources for protein.