What are the common misunderstandings about choosing cooking oil?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
"Which oil is good for you" is one of the most argued-over food topics in the world. Japan adds a name of its own, "salad oil" (サラダ油, sarada-yu), and the shelves hold plenty of others: olive, sesame, rice bran. Here we set out only what the public standards and labelling rules actually say.
The numbers and how to use each oil
| Item | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Target for fat | 20–30% of total energy | Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (2025 edition) |
| Saturated fatty acids | 7% or less of total energy (age 18 and over) | Same |
| n-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid, EPA, DHA) | Adequate intake about 2.0–2.2 g for men, about 1.6–2.0 g for women (varies with age) | Same |
| 1 tablespoon of oil (12 g) | About 110 kcal | Standard Tables of Food Composition |
| Oil | Main fatty acids | Suits | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salad oil (a blend of rapeseed, soybean, etc.) | Mono- and polyunsaturated | Stir-frying, deep-frying, raw | Under JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standards), "salad oil" is a grade name for oil refined enough to stay clear at low temperatures |
| Olive oil | Oleic acid (monounsaturated) | Raw, stir-frying | "Extra virgin" is an international standard; Japan's JAS categories are "olive oil" and "refined olive oil" |
| Sesame oil | Linoleic and oleic acid | Flavouring, stir-frying | The aroma is lost with heat |
| Rice bran oil | Oleic and linoleic acid | Deep-frying, stir-frying | Generally described as resistant to oxidation |
| Perilla (egoma) oil and flaxseed oil | Alpha-linolenic acid (n-3) | Raw only | Do not heat; once opened, keep refrigerated for 1–2 months |
| Coconut oil | About 90% saturated fat | — | Watch the upper limit for saturated fat |
[Verify] The intake figures are from the 2025 edition of the Dietary Reference Intakes; check the JAS categories against the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' "Japanese Agricultural Standard for Edible Vegetable Oils".
Misunderstanding 1｜"Salad oil" is an oil for raw vegetables
Under JAS, "salad oil" is a grade name for oil refined so that it does not cloud at low temperatures; it does not limit the use. It can be used for stir-frying and deep-frying too.
Misunderstanding 2｜Olive oil is all-purpose and ideal for heating
Extra virgin loses its flavour compounds with heat, and its smoke point is somewhat lower than refined oil. It suits raw use and finishing; the usual practice is refined oil for high-temperature deep-frying.
Misunderstanding 3｜Perilla and flaxseed oil are healthy for stir-frying
Alpha-linolenic acid oxidises easily with heat and light and is not suited to heating. Pour it on raw, refrigerate after opening, and use it up within 1–2 months.
Misunderstanding 4｜Coconut oil is a healthy oil
It is about 90% saturated fat, the oil with the biggest effect on the upper limit in the Dietary Reference Intakes (7% or less). We could find no public basis for calling it "good for you".
Misunderstanding 5｜The less oil, the better
Fat is an essential nutrient and is needed to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. The target is 20–30% of total energy, and extreme restriction is not recommended.
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Sources
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (2025 edition)" (fats) [日本人の食事摂取基準（2025年版）]
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_44138.html
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS) for Edible Vegetable Oils" [食用植物油脂の日本農林規格]
https://www.maff.go.jp/j/jas/jas_kikaku/
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th revised edition), 2023 supplement" (fats and oils) [日本食品標準成分表（八訂）増補2023年]
https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/syokuhinseibun/mext_00001.html
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Some ingredients need thorough cooking. Eat raw only foods that are sold for raw consumption. If you have allergies, check the ingredients.
Sources
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