Milk is rich in protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Milk protein contains essential amino acids; Milk fat is mostly short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids, which are easily absorbed by the human body.
Drinks can meet the normal needs of human body functions, and can be drunk directly or dissolved or diluted. All products eaten directly without chewing (or slight chewing) belong to the category of beverages, and beverages are only a part of food.
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Because milk is rich in lactose, lactose is a disaccharide, which needs lactase secreted by organisms to decompose. Most adults may lose the function of decomposing lactose when they grow up. Mammalian larvae will naturally produce lactase, but the secretion of lactase will gradually decrease or stop after three years old. For people, different nationalities have different situations. Because ordinary nomads often feed on dairy products, they will secrete lactase for life through natural selection. Galactose can cause senile cataracts.
However, some ethnic minorities no longer contact dairy products after lactation, so they stop secreting lactase. For them, milk can't be digested, which will cause diarrhea and even diseases, such as some ethnic groups in Africa. The proportion of lactose intolerance in Chinese communities and even in East Asia is very high (90%), but each individual reacts differently to milk. Some people like to drink, some people can't digest, and some people are prone to vomiting or discomfort after drinking. Children and young people can easily absorb milk, but old people can't digest it.
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