Our Secret Ingredient - Hidden Gluten in Every Meal

When you live with Celiac Disease, every meal becomes an experience — not because a lot of food isn’t naturally gluten-free, but because of the hidden ingredients that sneak into our meals without us realising.

In most households, mine included, stock cubes and mixes — those small, flavourful blocks and sachets used to “enhance” almost any dish — have become kitchen staples. They’re in almost everything!

For most people, that’s harmless. But for someone with Celiac Disease, a single cube or a sachet mix can trigger days or weeks of painful symptoms.

I never imagined I’d have to question something as simple as Sinigang. Yet after my Celiac diagnosis, I found myself inspecting every label, every kitchen shortcut, every hand-me-down recipe. My comforting meals suddenly became a reinventing adventure each time.

Yes, one can say, “Wala naman ‘tong gluten, it’s just seasoning!” — but if you look closely and read the label, chances are, they are not gluten-free. I am very guilty of adding a dash of this, a spoonful of that, and just going for the “timpla lang” style. No one expects those little extras to make someone sick.

But they can. This I learned the hard way.

All of a sudden, I was deconstructing everything I was used to cooking. This left me mostly cooking from scratch. It’s healthier and authentic, yes, that’s what everyone says, but it takes time, effort, and getting used to the new “timpla”. It was definitely not the same and took some getting used to. Then I made the discovery that there are stock cubes that are gluten-free!

The deeper issue isn’t just the stock cubes themselves — it’s the lack of awareness about gluten and Celiac Disease. Labels in local groceries often don’t list allergens clearly. Restaurants rarely understand what “gluten-free” truly means. Even well-meaning relatives and friends might use a cube or soy sauce without realising the consequences.

Until there’s more awareness, people with Celiac Disease will keep fighting this invisible battle at every meal.

Change starts with conversations like these. When I tell people why I avoid certain dishes or bring my own food, I’m not being difficult — I’m protecting my health. And when others listen, read labels, or ask questions, that’s already a step toward a more inclusive food culture.

Food should be about comfort, not caution. Everyone — even those of us with Celiac Disease — deserves to enjoy our favourite meals, safely.

~Marge