It has been brought to the public's attention that drinking cow's milk is unhealthy for human consumption. Should this product be taken off the shelves of the local grocery store? Milk is one of the most popular drinks in the United States. There are multiple benefits to the human body when consuming milk. Milk contains nine essential nutrients, contributes to healthy bones and teeth, and contributes greatly to the economy of farming communities in the United States. There are also disadvantages to humans consuming cow's milk. There are negative health effects, lactose intolerance in the body and false advertising of the product regarding weight loss. Humans drink cow's milk by the gallon because it is "good for the body"; however, the product is in the spotlight because it is unhealthy for human consumption. Milk is one of the most popular drinks in the United States. The definition of milk is a white fluid secreted by the mammary glands of female mammals for the nourishment of their young, consisting of minute globules of fat suspended in a solution of casein, albumin, milk sugar and inorganic salts. ("Milk", 2005). Milk proteins are made up of lactalbumin, one of the milk proteins (casein 3%, lactalbumin 0.5%, lactoglobulin 0.25%). Not precipitated from acidic solution like casein; therefore, whey contains lactalbumin and lactoglobulin, which are precipitated by heat and can be used to make whey cheese (Bender, 2005). There are variations in the quantities of ingredients in milk. This can be due to many variables of the individual animal from which the product comes, starting from the breed of the animal, the stage of lactation, the age and health of the animal. The guardians of animals and the environment...... at the center of the document ......tp://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/lactoseintolerance/index.aspxO'Mahony, F. ( 2012). Milk chemistry. International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), (4), Retrieved from http://www.ilri.org/InfoServ/Webpub/fulldocs/ilca_manual4/Milkchemistry.htmStyles, R. (2011, April 13). The 10 best alternatives to cow's milk. ECOLOGIST, Retrieved from http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/food_and_drink/847876/top_10alternatives_to_cows_milk.htmlTypes of milk - types of milk by fat content. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/typesofmilk_types.htmU.S. Food and Drug Administration, (2013). Raw milk and pasteurized milk. Retrieved from website: http://www.fda.gov/Food/ucm293042.htmUnited States Department of Agriculture, (2013). National act on school lunches. Retrieved from website: http://www.fns.usda.gov/nslp/history_5