How Did Ube Become So Popular?

Known for its sweet taste and iconic purple hue, ube — a purple yam of Filipino origin — has made quite an imprint on the culinary world. Ube has become an increasingly popular flavor in all kinds of sweets in the United States, from ice cream to Japanese cheesecake. Ube is not to be confused with sweet potatoes or other types of yams, which are typically yellow or white in appearance, the bright purple hue makes ube a truly special ingredient.

Before it became a viral foodie sensation in America, ube was a popular ingredient for centuries in the Philippines. Although Filipino immigrants brought their cuisine, and by proxy ube as well, to America, it wasn't until 2016 when Manila Social Club in New York started selling ube donuts that the ingredient began to skyrocket in popularity in Western culture.

Since then, ube has continuously cropped up in all kinds of dishes across America. The popularity of ube can be attributed to its social-media-friendly tint, which makes products containing ube perfect for shots on Instagram or TikTok. It has appeared in traditional Filipino desserts, fusion dishes, and brand-new inventions. However, at the end of the day, ube will always trace its roots back to its home in the Philippines.

For many people in the U.S., ube is a fairly new discovery, but the truth is that ube has been a commonly used ingredient in Asia cuisine for centuries. In the Philippines alone, the first mention of ube in both Spanish and Tagalog, the native language of the Philippines, was in 1613. In fact, the use of ube goes back so far in Asian history that the exact date that it was first used to create ube halaya, also known as ube jam, is highly disputed.

Americans specifically first made contact with ube in the 1890s during the country's occupation of the Philippines. Ube seeds also began to crop up in seed catalogs in the United States, sometimes sold under the name "winged yam." Last but not least, the influx of Asian immigrants through Hawaii saw the arrival of many Asian cuisines and cultures, as well as their ingredients.

Ube started going viral in American culture in the 2010s and has continued to be highly popular. Today, various ube products can be found in grocery stores, such as ube extract, ube powder, ube pancake mix, and frozen ube. Still, some of the most popular ube dishes are Filipino sweets, like shaved ice, rice cakes, ice cream, and more.