A medium baked potato (173 g) has about 161 calories; per 100 g raw is ~52–59, while fries average ~300 per 100 g.
Raw (100 g)
Baked (173 g)
Fries (100 g)
Boiled With Skin
- About 87–118 kcal per 100 g or small potato.
- Minerals leach into water.
- Keep peel for more fiber.
Basic
Baked Whole
- About 150–170 kcal per medium.
- Dry heat keeps nutrients.
- Great base for lean toppings.
Better
Pan-Fried Or Deep-Fried
- Roughly 300+ kcal per 100 g.
- Fat uptake varies by cut.
- Air-fry to trim oil.
Heavier
Calorie Counts In Potatoes By Size And Cooking
Calories hinge on serving size and preparation. A plain baked medium (about 173 g) lands near 161 kcal with the skin on, based on lab-compiled datasets that aggregate Foundation Foods entries drawn from the U.S. nutrient database.
Common Potato Servings And Calories
| Item | Typical Serving | Calories (kcal) |
|---|---|---|
| Raw potato, flesh + skin | 100 g | ~52–59 |
| Baked potato, with skin | 1 medium (173 g) | ≈161 |
| Boiled potato | ~1 small or 100–150 g | ~87–118 |
| Mashed potato | 1 cup (≈229 g) | ≈243 |
| French fries | 100 g | ≈312 |
| Potato chips | 1 oz (28 g) | ~149–160 |
Those figures come from lab-based compilations that reflect preparation differences. The baked medium value is from a standard 173 g serving; fries and chips rise because oil adds energy density. For a reference explainer with serving sizes and nutrients, see the USDA SNAP-Ed potatoes page, which lists a medium specimen with peel and its macros.
Serving Sizes And Real-World Portions
Portion calls vary at home and in restaurants. At home, a typical roasted side might be 120–150 g per person; in a steakhouse, a jumbo baked spud can top 300 g. If you count energy for weight goals, aligning your plate with your daily calorie needs helps the whole meal make sense—especially once sauces and sides show up.
Why Calories Shift From Raw To Cooked
Cooking changes moisture and oil content. Boiling adds water and can wash out a bit of starch and minerals into the pot. Baking dries the surface and keeps energy similar to raw weight-for-weight. Frying introduces fat into the matrix, which pushes the total up even if the portion looks modest.
Skin On Or Off
Leaving the peel adds a little fiber and micronutrients. Most of the energy still comes from starch, so fiber tweaks the satiety more than the calorie label. The nutrient tables used in U.S. labeling show modest swings across russet, white, and red types when size and cook method match.
Boiled Versus Baked Versus Fried
A quick comparison shows the range: a small boiled portion sits near 100 kcal; a medium baked portion sits near 160 kcal; the same mass cut into fries can approach 300+ kcal because oil sticks to surface area and seeps into porous edges. That’s why thicker wedges often deliver less energy per gram than shoestrings.
Evidence-Based Numbers You Can Use At The Table
Baked, medium with skin — about 161 kcal for 173 g, widely used in dietetic references built from USDA data.
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