FoodsComparisons

Fish fingers vs cod for acne

By SpotBite · Sources: 13 studies · one typical serving of each, on its own · Updated 2026-09-16

Fish fingers scores 75/100 (GOOD) and cod scores 100/100 (GLOW) on SpotBite's Skin Score. Cod is the safer choice by 25 points, and the gap comes mostly from glycemic load.

Fish fingers 75 GOOD

Fish fingers

one serving · 84 g

Cod 100 GLOW

Cod

one serving · 150 g

Where the gap comes from

Evidence: Smith 2007 RCT (n=43): a low-glycemic-load diet for 12 weeks lowered acne lesion count by 23.5 on average, versus 12 on the control diet (study). All 13 sources.

Score breakdown, side by side

Fish fingersCod
Glycemic (of 50)GL 10.8
−19.2
no carbs
0
Dairy (of 25)0 g
0
0 g
0
Inflammation (of 25)1.2 g sat · 2.4 g ω-6
−7.7
0.2 g sat · 0 g ω-6
−0.2
Skin Boost (of 25)0.3 g ω-3 · low polyphenols
+2.3
0.4 g ω-3 · low polyphenols
+3
Skin Score75 · GOOD100 · GLOW

Estimates for a typical serving. Real foods vary by brand and recipe.

Verdict

If you are acne-prone, cod is the better pick of the two. A 25-point gap is the kind of swap that can show up in your skin within a week or two.

Not medical advice. Both scores are for the food on its own. What you eat with it changes the result, and breakouts usually show up 3 to 7 days after a meal. Diet is one factor among many.

See your own pattern

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