Articles
From how to read the back of a package to what is said about food, alcohol, illness and testing, each topic in depth. Based on documents from governments, medical societies and international bodies and on research papers, we set out what is known, what is not, and how Japan differs from other countries. We do not judge things as good or bad.
Additives and labels
What lies behind the colors, preservatives, sweeteners, flavorings and other words common on Japanese labels, the rules for “no additives” claims, and how Japan differs from other countries.
What Is Monosodium Glutamate (Umami Seasoning)? Checking the Claims About Petroleum, GMOs, Intake Limits, and a "Damaged Sense of Taste"
What is monosodium glutamate (umami seasoning)? We check its origin in kombu dashi, the extraction, synthesis, and fermentation methods, its links to petroleum and genetically modified microbes, when it came into use, the acceptable intakes set by JECFA, EFSA, and the FDA, studies on headaches and obesity, the claim that it "ruins your sense of taste," and its relation to salt reduction, using official sources and papers.
Japan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-10-02
Is Caramel Color Dangerous? The Carcinogen Claim About “4-MEI” and the Four Types, Checked Against Japan, EU, and US Assessments
Is caramel color dangerous? We check the differences among the four types (I to IV), the “4-MEI” and “THI” byproducts linked to carcinogenicity claims, how assessments split between Japan, the EU, the US, and California, and how to tell them apart on labels, using the Japanese Specifications and Standards for Food Additives and official sources.
Japan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-09-30
Were “無添加” (Additive-Free) Labels Banned? Reading the Consumer Affairs Agency Guideline’s 10 Types from the Back Label
The Consumer Affairs Agency has a guideline on “無添加” (no additives) and “保存料不使用” (no preservatives) labels. We introduce the 10 types of potentially misleading labels with the Agency’s examples, and sort out where to look on the back label.
Reading labelsChecked 2026-09-29
Why Did “No Chemical Seasoning” Disappear? Is Yeast Extract a Chemical Seasoning? How to Read Umami Seasonings and Hydrolyzed Protein
Why did “化学調味料無添加” (“no chemical seasoning added”) labels disappear? We sort out the difference between “調味料（アミノ酸等）” on the package and yeast extract and hydrolyzed protein, the guideline types, safety evaluations, and the labeling rules of Japan, the U.S., and the EU.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadChecked 2026-09-29
What Is “果糖ぶどう糖液糖” (High-Fructose Corn Syrup)? Is It Worse for You Than Sugar? How It Differs From Sugar, and Corn and Genetic Modification
“果糖ぶどう糖液糖” (fructose-glucose syrup) is common on the back of soft drinks. We sort out how it is made and used, how it differs from sugar, and the labeling rules for corn raw material and genetic modification, using public materials from Japan and overseas.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-09-28
What is carryover? How it differs from processing aids, and the additives that are not listed on labels even on “additive-free” foods
Additives used in ingredients may not be written on the back label. This article sorts out how carryover and processing aids work, the cases where listing is still required, the rules overseas, and how all this relates to “additive-free” labeling.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadChecked 2026-09-28
Are Food Colorings (Red No. 102, Yellow No. 4) Bad for You? Cancer Assessments and Whether They Are Banned Abroad, Checked Against Rules in Japan and Overseas
Are tar dyes such as Red No. 102 and Yellow No. 4 banned overseas? We sort out how the rules differ among Japan, the US, the EU, and South Korea, and what studies on children’s behavior and carcinogenicity say, using official sources.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadChecked 2026-09-28
Are preservatives bad for you? Types such as sorbic acid, what “preservative-free” hides, and how Japanese and overseas rules differ
Even when a label says “preservative-free” (保存料不使用), additives that extend shelf life may still be in the food. The difference between preservatives and shelf-life extenders, and how Japanese and overseas rules differ, sorted out from official sources.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadChecked 2026-09-28
Are Artificial Sweeteners Bad for You? Aspartame and Cancer, What “Zero Calorie” and “Zero Sugars” Really Mean, and Japanese vs. Overseas Rules
“Zero calorie” and “zero sugars” do not mean nothing is in the product. We sort out the labeling standards and how Japanese and overseas rules differ for each sweetener.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadChecked 2026-09-28
Are Flavorings Bad for You? What “香料” (Flavoring) Contains, Why It Is Written as One Word, and Japanese vs. Overseas Rules
“香料” (flavoring) can be written as one word whatever it contains. We sort out the types of flavorings, the labeling rules, how safety is checked, and how Japanese and overseas rules differ.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadChecked 2026-09-28
Is the Color Fixer (Sodium Nitrite) Bad for You? Cancer Evaluations, Why Ham Is Red, and How Japanese and Overseas Rules Differ
The color fixer (sodium nitrite) gives ham its red color and helps prevent food poisoning. We sort out what “無塩せき” (muen-seki) means, what is known about carcinogenicity, and how the rules differ between Japan and overseas.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadChecked 2026-09-28
What Is “植物油脂” (Vegetable Fat)? How True Is “Vegetable Oils Are Bad for You,” and What the Back Label Does and Does Not Tell You
“植物油脂” (vegetable fat/oil) on the back label is a label that lets the kind of oil go unnamed. We sort out the differences in components among oils, and how far the claim that “vegetable oils are bad for you” holds true.
Reading labelsChecked 2026-09-28
Foods and seasonings
How seasonings and foods differ in type and production, and claims that they are “good” or “bad” for you, checked against food composition tables and research.
What Is the Difference Between Mustard and Karashi? Seed Types, Why Mixing with Water Makes It Hot, and the Ingredients and Allergen Labeling of Dijon, Whole-Grain, and Japanese Karashi
What is the difference between mustard and karashi? We check the three kinds of seeds (white, brown, black), why mixing with water makes them hot (sinigrin, sinalbin, and myrosinase), how Dijon, whole-grain, yellow, and Japanese karashi are made and what is in them, and allergen labeling, which is mandatory in the EU and Canada but not in Japan, against laws and studies.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadChecked 2026-10-01
What Is Nam Pla (Fish Sauce)? How It Is Made, How It Differs from Shottsuru, Ishiru, and Ikanago Soy Sauce, and Its Salt and Histamine Checked Against International Standards and Japan's Food Composition Tables
What is nam pla (fish sauce)? How it is made from just fish and salt; the differences among nam pla, nuoc mam, shottsuru, ishiru, and ikanago soy sauce; the Codex and Thai standards; salt about 1.5 times that of soy sauce; the umami component glutamic acid; and histamine limits, test results, and food poisoning cases, all checked against international standards and Japan's Standard Tables of Food Composition.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-10-01
Are Chili Peppers Good for You? How Capsaicin Makes Food Hot, the Scoville Scale, and What the Research Says About “Living Longer,” “Losing Weight,” and “Bad for the Stomach”
Are chili peppers good for you? We check how capsaicin and TRPV1 produce heat, Scoville ratings of varieties and products, the Chinese, Italian, and US studies finding fewer deaths among frequent chili eaters, gastric cancer and H. pylori, weight trials, health harms from extremely hot foods, and the ingredients of yuzu kosho, using papers and official sources.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-10-01
Is Garlic Good for You? How Allicin Forms, the Smell, Research on Blood Pressure and Cancer, Drug Interactions, and the Cautions on Garlic in Oil
Is garlic good for you? We check how allicin changes when garlic is cut, crushed, or heated, where the smell comes from, research on blood pressure, cholesterol, and cancer (meta-analyses, Cochrane, WCRF), drug interactions, botulism from garlic in oil, and the amounts from Aomori and China and import inspections, using studies and government documents.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-10-01
What Is Doubanjiang? How Sichuan’s Pixian Doubanjiang Differs from Japanese and Taiwanese Versions, with Salt, Mold Toxin, and Histamine Checked Against Official Sources
What is doubanjiang (chili bean paste)? Under Chinese standards, Sichuan’s Pixian doubanjiang is made from broad beans and chili peppers, with at least 6 months of koji fermentation and at least 3 months of aging. We check the ingredient differences in Japanese and Taiwanese doubanjiang, comparisons with tianmianjiang, gochujang, and XO sauce, salt equivalent, the standards for the mold toxin aflatoxin and violations at import, and the research on histamine, using official sources.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-10-01
Is Sesame Good for You? Checking Sesamin Research, Allergen Labeling, and Pesticide Residues in Imported Sesame Against Government Data and Studies
Is sesame good for you? We compare roasted, ground, and paste sesame using Japan's food composition tables, then check human studies on sesamin (meta-analyses), how Foods with Function Claims treat it, sesame allergen labeling (recommended in Japan, mandatory in the US and EU), and where Japan imports sesame from, along with violations for pesticide residues and mold toxins, using government data.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-10-01
Where Does “Too Much Salt” Begin? Checking Japan’s Salt Intake Trend, Target Amounts, and the Links to High Blood Pressure and Stomach Cancer Against National Surveys and Studies
Where does “too much salt” begin? We check against national surveys and studies: the trend in Japanese salt intake (12.1 g in 2001 to 9.6 g in 2024), Japan’s targets (under 7.5 g for men, under 6.5 g for women) versus the WHO’s under 5 g, comparisons with other countries, research on high blood pressure, stroke, and stomach cancer, the “salt equivalent” on labels (sodium × 2.54), and the amount in each seasoning.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-10-01
Is Benifuuki Green Tea Good for Hay Fever? Checking the Size and Funding of the Methylated Catechin Trials, What the Foods with Function Claims Notifications Say, and Caffeine and How to Brew, Against Papers and Government Documents
Is Benifuuki green tea good for hay fever? Using papers and government documents, we check how methylated catechin was found in a black tea cultivar, the number of participants, results, and funding (beverage-maker involvement) of the human trials, what the Foods with Function Claims notifications actually say, how it differs from Yabukita, the caffeine content and the guideline for pregnancy, and how brewing and harvest time change the amount.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-10-01
What Is Tomato Ketchup? The JAS “Special Grade,” How It Differs from Tomato Sauce, and Whether Lycopene Absorption Changes with Heat and Oil
What is tomato ketchup? We check the definition in the Food Labeling Standards and the JAS grades (special grade and standard), the differences from tomato sauce and puree, the amounts of sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, and salt, what “antioxidant (V.C)” means, whether lycopene absorption changes with heat and oil, the research on prostate cancer and heart disease, and how different countries assess it.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-10-01
Is Vinegar Good for You? Rice, Pure Rice, Grain, Black, and Apple Cider Vinegar Compared, and the “Acetic Acid for Blood Pressure and Visceral Fat” Research Checked
Is vinegar good for you? We check the legal differences among rice, pure rice, grain, black, and apple cider vinegar in Japan, the conditions for writing “pure” or “black vinegar” on a label, the amount of acetic acid and national production, what the Foods with Function Claims and studies (randomized controlled trials and an umbrella review) say about “acetic acid for visceral fat and blood pressure,” and the effects of drinking too much on teeth and the esophagus.
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-10-01
Are Blueberries Good for Your Eyes? Antioxidant Differences by Variety, Ways of Eating Them for Better Absorption, Whether Frozen Is Better, and Studies of People Who Kept Eating Them
Are blueberries good for your eyes? Using studies and national data, we check how the anthocyanins differ among highbush, rabbiteye, wild blueberries, and bilberries, ways of eating them for better absorption, whether freezing improves absorption, and what changed over time in studies of people who kept eating them. Also the safety of imported frozen berries and how to read the back labels of dried blueberries and jam.
Fact checkChecked 2026-09-30
Are Lard and Butter Bad for You? 16 Plant Oils and Animal Fats (Beef Tallow, Fish Oil) Compared by Fatty Acids, and Which to Use Every Day
How do plant oils differ from butter, lard, beef tallow, and fish oil? We compare the fatty acids and cholesterol of 16 oils using the Food Composition Tables, then check studies on LDL cholesterol, heart disease, and stroke in Japanese people, trans fat, and oxidation from heating, to sort out which is better for everyday cooking.
Japan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-09-30
Are Dairy Products Bad for Japanese People? The Effects of Eating Too Much, Differences from Foreigners, Dairy in Japan and Abroad, and Bulgaria, the “Land of Yogurt”
Is eating too much dairy bad for Japanese people? We use national statistics and studies to lay out dairy amounts in Japan and the West, the share of people who can digest lactose, how results differ between Japanese and foreign studies (prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, stroke, fractures, death), and whether people in Bulgaria, the “land of yogurt,” really handle dairy well.
Japan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-09-30
Does Fruit Fructose Make You Gain Weight? How It Differs from the Fructose in “果糖ぶどう糖液糖” (High-Fructose Corn Syrup), and a Comparison of Sugar and Fiber in 22 Fruits
The fructose in fruit and the fructose in “果糖ぶどう糖液糖” (high-fructose corn syrup) are the same substance. So why is fruit recommended while sweet drinks are to be cut back? We check the differences in amount, speed, and fiber against papers, and compare sugars, fructose, fiber, vitamin C, and potassium in 22 fruits using the Japanese food composition table.
Fact checkChecked 2026-09-30
What is spelt wheat? Does gluten make holes in the gut? Checking “leaky gut” and pesticides in imported wheat against papers and national data
Does gluten make holes in the gut? This article checks, against papers and national data, what is known from “leaky gut” research, which residual pesticides MAFF found in imported wheat, and whether spelt really has less gluten.
Fact checkChecked 2026-09-29
Does Eating Too Much Oil Cause Dementia or Depression? What Studies Show
Does eating too much vegetable oil cause dementia or depression? A look at what studies in people do and do not show, laying out both sides.
Fact checkChecked 2026-09-28
Alcohol
Sake and shochu: components and health, production and the words on their labels, history and culture.
Is Beer Bad for You? Gluten in Barley, Purines, "Zero Carbs," Brewer's Yeast and Virility, and "Beer Belly," Checked Against Food Tables and Studies
Is beer bad for you? Does barley contain gluten (hordein)? Labeling rules in Japan, the EU and the US; purines and gout; what "zero carbs" means; beer belly; hangovers; whether brewer's yeast boosts virility (Ebios tablets and testosterone); claims such as "good for bones," "feminizing" and "helps you sleep"; NDMA, glyphosate and mycotoxins; and non-alcoholic beer, all checked against the Japanese food composition tables, MHLW documents and published studies.
Fact checkChecked 2026-10-02
Beer Types Explained: Beer vs. Happoshu vs. New Genre (After the 2026 Liquor Tax Unification), Lager vs. Ale vs. IPA and Other Beer Styles, How Beer Is Made, and How to Read the Label
A full guide to beer types. The legal differences between beer, happoshu and new-genre drinks and the October 2026 liquor tax unification; how beer is made (top-fermenting, bottom-fermenting, spontaneous); beer styles per the BJCP such as Pilsner, Weissbier, Pale Ale, IPA, Stout, Trappist and Lambic; the definitions of “nama” and “lager,” how to read the ingredient list and additives, the Reinheitsgebot, and Japanese craft beer, all read through the law, industry codes and National Tax Agency materials.
Reading labelsChecked 2026-10-02
Where Did Beer Come From? 10,000 Years of History and the World Beer Consumption Ranking (China #1 in Total, Czechia #1 per Capita), and Where Japan Stands, Read Through Papers and Government Statistics
Where did beer originate? From a 13,000-year-old stone mortar to Mesopotamia and Egypt, monasteries and the Purity Law, lager and Pilsner, Pasteur and Hansen, the start of beer in Japan, and the unification of beer taxes. The world beer consumption ranking (China #1 in total, Czechia #1 per capita), Japan's place in it, and how the domestic market has changed, read through papers and government and company statistics.
Japan vs. abroadChecked 2026-10-02
Is Shochu Good for Your Health? Checking “Zero Sugar,” “Zero Purines,” “Thin Blood,” Weight Gain, and Hangovers Against Food Composition Tables and Studies
Is shochu good for your health? We check whether “zero sugar” and “zero purines” are true, the pure alcohol and calories in one drink, and how far claims such as “honkaku shochu dissolves blood clots (thins the blood),” “good for gout,” “doesn’t raise blood sugar,” and “less likely to cause a hangover” have actually been verified, using the food composition table, MHLW materials, and studies.
Fact checkChecked 2026-10-01
Types of Shochu: Class A, Class B, Honkaku Shochu, and Awamori Explained, with a Popularity Ranking, Using National Tax Agency Materials
What are the types of shochu? We explain continuous-still (Class A) vs single-distilled (Class B) shochu, the conditions for calling something “honkaku shochu,” where and how much sweet potato, barley, rice, buckwheat, brown sugar, and awamori shochu are made, black, white, and yellow koji, atmospheric vs vacuum distillation, the five geographical indications, and a sales ranking of shochu makers, using National Tax Agency materials.
Reading labelsChecked 2026-10-01
Why Is Kyushu Shochu Country? The History of Shochu, Premium Shochu (Moriizo, Maou, Murao), and Its Spread Overseas, Read Through Government Documents
Why is Kyushu shochu country? Using national and prefectural documents, we read through the arrival of distillation, the 1559 “shochu” graffiti, sweet potatoes and sweet potato shochu, the two shochu booms, why shochu was made in southern Kyushu, production and consumption by prefecture, why Moriizo, Maou, Murao, and Hyakunen no Kodoku are hard to get, and exports and the spread overseas.
Japan vs. abroadChecked 2026-10-01
Is Sake Good for Your Health? Checking Ingredients, Calories, Weight Gain, and the Comparison with Shochu Against Public Data and Studies
Is sake good for your health? We check against government documents, the food composition tables, and studies: what is in sake (amino acids, sugar, purines), how far the research on peptides, α-EG, and sake lees said to be "good for the body" has been confirmed, the pure alcohol and calories in one gō, whether "sake makes you fat" is true, and which is better, sake or shochu.
Fact checkChecked 2026-09-30
What Is the Rice Polishing Ratio? How Sake Is Made, Flat Polishing, and Yeast: Reading the Words on the Label from Government Sources
How is sake made? We read, from National Tax Agency and National Research Institute of Brewing materials, the rules for “sake,” “junmai,” and “ginjo,” koji, the yeast starter (kimoto, yamahai, sokujo), three-stage mashing and multiple parallel fermentation, what the rice polishing ratio means and whether “the more you polish, the better it tastes” is true, how the new flat polishing works, and Kyokai yeasts and ginjo aroma.
Reading labelsChecked 2026-09-30
Why Is Sake Sacred? Its History, Shinto, Famous Regions, Premium Bottles, and Popularity Overseas, Read Through Government Sources
Why is sake sacred? Using government materials and the official information of shrines, we read its history from the Gishi Wajinden to Edo-period kudari-zake and the Meiji liquor tax, its ties to omiki, naorai, sugidama, and Shinto, famous regions such as Hyogo, Kyoto, and Niigata, why Juyondai, Aramasa, and Dassai are hard to get, and the growth of exports and how sake is known around the world.
Japan vs. abroadChecked 2026-09-30
Illness and testing
How cancers have changed and their causes (alcohol, tobacco, food), and how to read test results, checked against national statistics, medical societies and papers.
What Are Tumor Markers? Origins, Types, Positive Rates by Cancer, Cost, and How to Read Results, Checked Against Society Guidelines and Studies
What tumor markers are. From the Bence Jones protein of 1847 to CEA, AFP, CA19-9 and PSA; what 22 of these substances actually are; positive rates by cancer type and stage; Japanese data showing that only 3 to 4% of people who tested positive at a checkup had cancer; reference values and how to read results; insurance and self-pay costs; and how Japan and other countries rate them as screening tests. All checked against society guidelines and studies.
Japan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-10-01
Thyroid Cancer: Symptoms, Types, Rates in Japan and Abroad, the Effects of Iodine (Kombu) and Radiation, and Thyradin, TSH, Thyroglobulin and Tumor Markers
Types of thyroid cancer, rates and overdiagnosis in Japan and abroad, the effects of iodine (kombu) and radiation exposure, the ingredients of Thyradin-S and what taking it does to the body, TSH and recurrence after one-sided removal, rising thyroglobulin, and tumor markers including CA19-9, checked against national statistics and Japanese and U.S. clinical guidelines.
Japan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-09-30
Does the Type of Alcohol Change Cancer Risk? Which Cancers Rise, Which Show Lower Numbers, and Whether Drinking Has Benefits, Checked Against International Assessments and Studies
Does the type of alcohol change cancer risk? We use international assessments and studies to illustrate the differences between beer, wine, and shochu; the cancers that rise with the amount you drink (mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, colorectum, breast) and those that show lower numbers (kidney, thyroid, lymphoma); the facial-flushing constitution; and whether “a little drinking means a longer life” is true.
Fact checkChecked 2026-09-30
Is Alcohol a Cause of Pancreatic Cancer? Drinking Amounts, Other Causes, and the Latest Treatments, Checked Against National Data and Studies
Does alcohol cause pancreatic cancer? We check the link between drinking amount (grams of pure alcohol) and risk against international assessments and studies from Japan and abroad. We also cover causes other than alcohol, such as smoking, diabetes, obesity, and family history, the rising statistics, early detection efforts, and the new treatments as of 2026.
Fact checkChecked 2026-09-29
Why Is Lung Cancer Rising When Fewer People Smoke? Smoking, Lung Cancer Types, and What You Can Do for Your Lungs, Checked Against National Data and Studies
Fewer people smoke, yet lung cancer deaths keep rising. We check the gap between aging and smoking against national cancer statistics, then sort out how adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and small cell carcinoma relate to smoking, lung cancer in never-smokers, heated tobacco, and what you can do for your lungs, using studies and government assessments.
Fact checkChecked 2026-09-29
Does Eating Too Much Wheat Flour Cause Colorectal Cancer? Checking the Link Between Wheat and Cancer Against Studies and Government Data
Does eating too much wheat flour cause colorectal cancer? We check the difference between whole-grain and white flour, cancers other than colorectal (stomach, esophagus, pancreas, breast, uterine body), gluten, burnt bread, ultra-processed foods, and the claim that "cancer rose as wheat consumption rose," using studies and government data.
Fact checkChecked 2026-09-29
Cookware and containers
What moves from pots, aluminum foil and storage containers into food, how much, and Japan’s standards.
Are Microwave Ovens Bad for You? History, How They Work, Use Around the World, Safety, Nutrition (vs. Boiling and Stir-Frying), the “Microwave Cover” Claim, and How to Use and Choose One
Are microwave ovens bad for you? We check the facts against official sources and studies: the history from a radar component to Japan's first model, how 2.45 GHz heats food, ownership rates in Japan, the US and Europe, claims like “the USSR banned it,” leakage limits and the most common accidents, the effects of eating microwaved food and plastic containers, a nutrition comparison with boiling and stir-frying (Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan), whether “microwave covers keep nutrients from dropping” is true, and how to use, power-price and choose one.
Fact checkChecked 2026-10-02
Are Teflon (Fluoropolymer) Nonstick Pans Harmful? History, Types, How PFAS Rules Have Changed, Overheating and Food Transfer, and How to Choose Alternative Materials
Are Teflon (fluoropolymer) nonstick pans harmful? We check public agency documents and studies on the 1938 discovery and how nonstick coatings began, what "diamond" and "marble" coatings really are and how to read the label, the PFOA processing-aid problem and how regulation of PFAS has changed, the fumes, polymer fume fever and risk to birds when a pan is overheated, measurements of transfer into food, groundwater in Settsu City, and the caveats of alternative materials (iron, stainless steel, enamel, ceramic, WMF).
Japan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-10-02
Does aluminum leach from aluminum pans and foil? How it is made, why it is used, what happens when it builds up in the body, and how to choose alternative pans
Does aluminum leach from aluminum pans, yukihira pans (Japanese hammered saucepans), and aluminum foil? This article checks, against public-agency materials and papers: how aluminum is made from bauxite, why it is used in cookware, leaching tests by national institutes, intake from the food additive alum, tap water, cans, and antacids, effects when it builds up in the body (dialysis, Alzheimer's disease), and alternative pans (iron, enamel, stainless steel, glass) for people who want to limit aluminum.
Checked 2026-10-02
Detergents and shampoo
How to read the full ingredient labels of household products, and claims such as “transdermal toxicity.”
What are surfactants? Types, history, rules in Japan and abroad, effects on the body, and what the “strength rankings” really are
What are surfactants? We check, with official documents and papers, the history from soap to synthetic detergent; the anionic, cationic, amphoteric, and nonionic types and how they are labeled; Japanese production volumes; uses and common products; why the “strength rankings” you see online reshuffle depending on the yardstick; effects on the body such as hand eczema, contact dermatitis, accidental ingestion, mouth ulcers, and emulsifiers and the gut; and the rules in Japan, the EU, and the US, including banned substances (NPE, PFAS, POE tallowamine, 1,4-dioxane).
Reading labelsJapan vs. abroadFact checkChecked 2026-10-02
How to Choose Additive-Free Shampoo and Body Soap: Soap-Based vs. Amino Acid-Based, and How to Read the Full Ingredient List
How do “additive-free” (無添加) shampoos and body soaps really differ? The rules for full ingredient labeling, how to tell soap-based from amino acid-based, how soap shampoo relates to its dedicated rinse, and a comparison of the full ingredients of 10 products.
Reading labelsChecked 2026-09-29
Choosing an additive-free detergent: soap vs. synthetic detergent, and how to read the back label
What is actually different inside “additive-free” and “plant-derived” detergents? How to tell soap from synthetic detergent by the product category on the back label, and a comparison of the labels on laundry and dish detergents that claim to be additive-free, taken from the makers' official pages.
Reading labelsChecked 2026-09-28
Are “transdermal toxins” (経皮毒) a myth or real? Do ingredients in shampoo and detergent enter through the skin, and what labels leave out
Are “transdermal toxins” real? We check, using materials from the government and academic societies, whether ingredients in shampoo and detergent enter through the skin. We also sort out what actually deserves care, such as hand eczema and rashes, ingredients that do not appear on labels, and how to read “additive-free.”
Reading labelsFact checkChecked 2026-09-28
Food delivery services
Comparing additive-free food delivery services in Japan: trial sets, costs and standards.
Comparing 5 additive-conscious grocery delivery services: trial sets, ongoing costs, and additive standards (2026)
Oisix, Radish Boya (らでぃっしゅぼーや), Daichi o Mamoru Kai (大地を守る会), Palsystem, and Seikatsu Club, compared using only information from their official pages. Trial set terms, ongoing costs, and produce and additive standards, side by side in tables.
Checked 2026-09-29
Reading Oisix’s Trial Set and Subscription Down to the Back Label: Vegetable Pesticide Standards, the Trial Set, and How Cancellation Works
How far does Oisix reduce pesticides on its vegetables? We sort out how its standards relate to Japan’s “specially cultivated” and “organic JAS” systems, its additive standards, and the prices, deadlines, and cancellation rules of the trial set and the subscription, using official pages and MAFF materials.
Reading labelsChecked 2026-09-28