Healthy Food Choices for Fish Allergies

Video Transcript

MARY HONDROS: Okay, now I am going to talk a little bit about fish allergies. If you've got a known fish allergy, it is really important that you stay away from all fish products. If your doctor has been able to test you for your fish allergy and tell you exactly which type of fish you are allergic to, it is okay for you to only avoid that fish from your diet, but to consume other types of fish. Also remember that if you do have a fish allergy, you are more likely to be allergic to other types of seafood like lobster, crab, shrimp and those types of things. So make sure that you get tested for those allergies as well. Keep in mind that if you are avoiding all types of fish when you do not know which kind you are allergic to that you need to look for foods with fish additives as well, which could be something like Worcestershire sauce, roe and imitation seafood, which actually contains a type of fish in it. And all those things can cause the same reactions that a fish allergy would cause. So, four tips, if you think you have a fish allergy or you know you do is first of all, stay away from all types of fish that might cause an allergy, especially if you do not know which fish you are allergic to. Secondly, get tested for seafood allergies like crab or lobster or shrimp allergies, because you are more likely to be allergic to those things as well. Thirdly, remember to look for hidden fish additives in things like sauces, imitation seafood, roe and those types of things. And lastly, you probably want to avoid seafood restaurants in general, because even if you do not order the fish, you still might be exposed to fish proteins through cross contamination like through a spatula or through cooking oils, which means the fish proteins would get in your dish anyways. So just try to avoid seafood restaurants in general. And those are four tips on staying safe if you have a fish allergy.