I was just in Russia. I've been drinking unpasteurized beer, kefir, and this other yogurt like drink (forgot the name). All have live bacteria. It does do wonders for the digestive system, I can feel it!
Too bad they pasteurized everything in the U.S.
Yes! All those things have healthy bacteria that's good for the microbiome. I know it's crazy how obsessed America is with pasteurization. In Maine, raw butter is legal :)
There's a great story in Michael Pollan's Cooked doc on Netflix, where he tells the story of a cheese making biochemist nun who fights the FDA to continue making her cheese the traditional way - in a old wood barrel full of healthy microbes, which is technically illegal in this country. Traditional foods are so important for us to keep in our diets!