FID Questions

Hi there!

Thanks so much for your post! We recommend following The Eczema Detox book and the advice in this membership, as they’re the most up-to-date resources. 😊

See the full list of types of fish you can enjoy and ones to avoid on the diet below:

FISH TO ENJOY: small, low mercury white fish, specifically Belone Belone or Garfish (avoid Gar eggs as they are toxic), Branzino, Bream, Dory (John Dory), Flathead, Flounder (Arrowtooth and Californian), Haddock, Herring, Hake (Hoki, Blue Grenadiers, Blue Hake, Whiptails, New Zealand Whiting), Atlantic Mackerel (only choose Chub/Pacific NOT King or Spanish Mackerel as they are high mercury), Shad (caution, very bony), Trevally, Warehou (Common, Silver, White, Blue, but limit Warehou as it’s unsustainable), Whiting and Whitebait (Inanga). Smaller sized Cod (NOT Alaskan cod as it's high mercury).

How to choose: Favour buying fresh fish from a local fish market or quality seafood shop with a high turnover. Opt for fish with bright and shiny skin and scales that fit closely together. The eyes should be bright, clear and bulging, gills should be bright red and damp but not sticky and the smell should not be overly fishy or unpleasant.

FISH TO AVOID: mod-high mercury fish including Blue Fish (Bluefish), Buffalofish, Cod (Alaskan), Chilean Sea Bass (Patagonian Toothfish), Croaker, Grouper, Halibut, Mackerel, Mahi Mahi (low-moderate in mercury), Monkfish, Sablefish, Skate, Snapper, Perch (freshwater and ocean), Barramundi (Asian Sea Perch, Asian Sea Bass, Barra, Giant Perch, Giant Sea Perch and Silver Barramundi), Buffalofish, Gemfish, Lemon Sole, Ling, Sablefish, Scorpionfish, Spanish Mackerel, Tilefish (Atlantic), Canned Tuna (albacore or yellowfin), Walleye, Weakfish (Sea Trout). AVOID very high mercury fish: Ahi Yellowfin Tuna, not canned), Aji (Horse Mackerel), Bigeye Tuna, Buri (adult Yellowtail), Billfish, Flake (Shark, commonly sold as fish and chips), Hamachi (young Yellowtail), King Mackerel, Orange Roughy, Swordfish, Marlin, Tilefish (Gulf of Mexico). AVOID contaminated fish, including Catfish, Tilapia and Basa (commonly sold as fish and chips, other names include Pangasius Bocourti, Bocourti, River Cobbler, Catfish, Vietnamese cobbler, Pangasius or Swai), as they can be contaminated with bacteria and antibiotics due to being farmed in unclean waters in Vietnam and China. AVOID Mullet and Sole (Flatfish): while low in mercury, they can be contaminated with industrial waste as they are bottomfeeders. AVOID Butterfish (Escolar) as it can cause digestive upsets and IBS due to the presence of irritating wax esters.

Fresh white fish is low in amines and salicylates IF it is freshly caught and cooked within the use by date, so it may be suitable for those following the FID or Eczema diet Programs.

If you are unsure if you are sensitive to fish, test it duirg the testing phase of FID (phase 2).

When first caught, fish contains virtually no histamines, however these do increase during storage, so the best bet for those sensitive to amines is to buy fresh fish, ideally eaten within 12 hours of catch. You also may be able to quickly freeze the fresh fish, then eat it within 2 weeks, but do not buy pre-frozen fish as it may have high amines.

To further limit the development of amines, serve cooked white fish with fresh garlic and spring onion/shallots (these are the spring onions with no bulb, just straight thin stems).

For those who are highly sensitive to histamines, or with MCAS, fresh fish may need to be avoided for a period of time, so you will need to test your individual tolerance.

Please let me know if you have any further questions!

xx Bonnie