As a result, food and beverages served in crystal glassware are absolutely safe! The only time this would be unsafe is if the pieces of glass were still hot when placed in the drink. However, you should avoid serving foods or drinks in lead crystal dishes if you have any kind of medical condition, because even small amounts of lead can be toxic to your body over time. The main concern with drinking out of lead crystal is that old jewelry contains lead, which is released into the environment when it is burned or discarded. This lead dust can get into your food and beverages through the burning glass. Even though the amount that gets into your drink is very small, it could still be harmful if you consume many bottles of alcohol or eat many servings of leaded-crystal cooked food. If you are worried about lead contamination, use stainless steel or plastic ware for your drinks and food. It is also important to wash your crystal glassware regularly in hot, soapy water and then dry them thoroughly before storing. Drinking out of lead crystal shouldn't cause any problems as long as you don't drink everything that comes out of your bottle or jar.