How Many Calories in a Potato?
FoodIdentifier.comA medium baked potato (173g) has 161 calories, 4.3g protein, and 3.8g fiber. Baked with skin runs 93 cal/100g; boiled is 87. The cooking method changes everything — mashed with butter and milk climbs to ~120 cal/100g, fries hit 312, and chips hit 536. A plain baked potato is one of the most filling foods per calorie.
🔬 Nutrition Facts — Per 1 Medium Baked Potato (173g, with skin)
Source: USDA FoodData Central · 2026
🥗 Key Ingredients & Nutrients at a Glance
📊 Quick Facts
- •Medium baked potato (173g, skin): 161 cal · 4.3g protein · 3.8g fiber
- •Baked with skin: 93 cal/100g · Boiled: 87 cal/100g
- •Mashed (butter + milk): ~120 cal/100g
- •French fries: 312 cal/100g (3.4× baked)
- •Potato chips: 536 cal/100g (5.8× baked)
- •Sweet potato baked: 90 cal/100g (comparison)
- •Glycemic index (baked): ~78 — cooling lowers it
- •Most satiating: plain baked or boiled, skin on
- •Biggest calorie trap: fries, chips, and loaded baked potatoes
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⚠️ Medical Disclaimer
This is not medical advice — talk to your doctor. Nutrition figures are averages from USDA FoodData Central and vary by variety, size, and preparation method.
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🥔 Scan Free at FoodIdentifier.com →🥔 Calories by Cooking Method (Per 100g)
The cooking method changes everything. A plain baked potato with skin is 93 cal/100g and boiled is 87 — both low. But add butter and milk for mashed and you reach ~120, fry it for fries and you hit 312, and slice it thin and fry for chips and you reach 536. The potato itself is not the problem; the oil and fat added in cooking is.
| Cooking Method | Cal/100g | Protein | Fiber | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boiled (peeled) | 87 | ~2g | ~1.8g | ~0.1g |
| Baked with skin ★ | 93 | ~2.5g | ~2.2g | ~0.1g |
| Mashed (butter + milk) | ~120 | ~2g | ~1.5g | ~4g |
| French fries | 312 | ~3.4g | ~2.7g | ~15g |
| Potato chips | 536 | ~7g | ~3g | ~35g |
| Sweet potato baked (compare) | 90 | ~2g | ~3g | ~0.1g |
★ Baked with skin is the USDA baseline (93 cal/100g). A medium baked potato (173g) = 161 calories. Fries and chips values include absorbed frying oil.
🥔 Skin On vs Peeled
The skin adds almost no calories — it is mostly fiber and water — but it holds roughly half the potato's fiber, plus potassium and antioxidants. Eating the skin makes the potato more filling and more nutritious without raising the calorie count. Peeling drops satiety and nutrients, not calories. Bake or boil with the skin on, and eat it.
🍟 Potato vs Fries vs Chips
Same vegetable, very different calories. A plain baked potato is 93 cal/100g. Cut it into fries and fry it in oil and you reach 312 cal/100g — about 3.4 times the density. Slice it thinner and fry into chips and you hit 536 cal/100g — about 5.8 times the baked baseline. The potato does not change; the oil it absorbs does. A 100g serving of chips has as many calories as nearly six baked potatoes.
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Scan Free at FoodIdentifier.com →🥗 Potatoes and Weight Loss: The Satiety Champion
On the common satiety index — a measure of how full a food leaves you per calorie — plain boiled potatoes rank at the very top, well above rice, bread, and oats. A medium baked potato (173g) is just 161 calories but packs 4.3g protein and 3.8g fiber, which together slow digestion and keep you full for hours. The catch is always the preparation: bake or boil it, keep the skin, and go light on butter and oil, and a potato is one of the best diet foods there is.
🩸 Blood-Sugar Note (GI ~78, Cooling Lowers It)
A hot baked potato has a glycemic index of about 78 — high — meaning it can raise blood sugar fairly quickly. But cooling the cooked potato changes its starch structure: some of the starch becomes resistant starch, which behaves like fiber, lowers the glycemic response, and feeds gut bacteria. Eating potatoes cold (as in potato salad) or reheated after cooling gives a gentler blood-sugar curve than eating them piping hot. This is not medical advice — talk to your doctor.
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Try Free Food Scanner →📋 Nutrition data based on USDA FoodData Central. Values may vary by brand, preparation method, and serving size. Not a substitute for professional medical or dietary advice. Always consult a registered dietitian for personalized nutrition guidance.