Ube Is Genuinely Nutritious — But Most Ube Lattes Are Sugar and Flavoring, Not Yam

The whole purple yam from the Philippines is a legitimately good food: fiber, potassium, a surprising amount of vitamin C, and the purple-colored antioxidants (anthocyanins) that also make blueberries healthy. But it is not a miracle "superfood," and here is the catch — most of what is sold as ube right now (lattes, syrups, flavored desserts) is ube extract or flavoring, mostly glucose syrup and coloring with little or no actual yam. Eat the real thing for the benefits; the trendy purple drink is closer to a dessert.