What you are drinking?
On Thursday (14.03.2013), the European Parliament was divided about how to define absinthe because of its potential health risks. DW looks at beverages, which can cause health problems.
The green fairy
In a vote this month, the European Parliament was divided on how to define absinthe - a drink with a high amount of alcohol and known as "the green fairy" because of its color. Some policy makers are concerned about potential health risks. In its original form, absinthe was considered an addictive hallucinogenic drug. Traces of the chemical compound thujone were also seen as dangerous.
Burning beverages - burning mouths
Flaming drinks like sambucas contain a small amount of flammable alcohol, which is lit before the drink is served. But be warned: you could get burnt if you rush to take a sip before the drink has had time to cool.
No smoke without fire
To create a "cauldron effect," liquid nitrogen, which boils at minus 196 degrees Celcius, is used in cocktails. But liquid nitrogen can cause frostbite and damage tissue due to its low temperature. Last October, a British teenager had to have her stomach removed after drinking two liquid nitrogen cocktails while celebrating her 18th birthday.
Jägerbomb
Jägermeister tastes like cough syrup and contains 35 percent alcohol. Mixed with the energy drink Red Bull, it becomes a Jägerbomb. But Jägerbombs are to be taken with caution because the mix of both stimulant and depressant can mask the effects of the alcohol. The cocktail is said to encourage binge drinking as it takes longer to notice your getting drunk.
Energy drinks
Red Bull is the world's most popular energy drink. It contains the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. But it has close to 20 percent of the daily recommended sugar intake and the long-term effects of taurine, one of its main ingredients, have not been studied.
Hard Liquor
Distilled beverages, which are also called spirits, contain at least 20 percent alcohol. Bacardi 151 is a rum with around 75 percent alcohol - more than the 40 to 50 percent in whiskey. Countries where there is a preference for spirits, such as Scotland and Russia, have often been found to have greater problems with alcoholism.
It's called water - if you can get it
Drinking too much alcohol will cause health problems, even death. But it can be just as fatal to drink too little water. In many developed countries, tap water is safe to drink, but for one billion people around the world, clean drinking water is a luxury. The World Health Organization says better access to safe drinking water would prevent 1.4 million children from dying from diarrhea every year.