How Many Calories Are In A Yellow Potato? | Real-World Numbers

Calories In Golden Potatoes: Per 100 Grams And Per Serving

Yellow or “gold” varieties sit close to white potatoes for energy. Per 100 grams, raw gold potatoes average about 73 calories, almost all from starch with a touch of protein and trace fat. Bake a medium potato (about 173 grams) with the skin and you land near 161 calories. Boiling lowers density a bit, since water moves in and some minerals move out, so the count per 100 grams sits in the 70–90 range depending on drain time.

Why the swing? Water and weight shift with cooking. A heavier potato of the same type brings more calories; a lighter one brings fewer. The specific cultivar (Yukon Gold and cousins) varies a little, but the plain, skin-on baseline stays predictable when you weigh the portion.

Yellow Potato Calories By Common Portions (Plain)

Item	Serving	Calories
Gold potato, raw	100 g	73
Gold potato, raw	150 g	110
Plain baked potato	1 medium (≈173 g)	161

Those figures come from public nutrient datasets that aggregate lab analyses. For the 100-gram view of gold potatoes, see MyFoodData’s USDA-based entry; for the baked medium baseline, see the baked entry built from FoodData Central.

What Changes The Calorie Count

Cooking Method

Boiling, steaming, and baking keep energy modest because they don’t add fat. A 100-gram boiled portion usually lands in the 70–90-calorie band, while a 100-gram baked portion averages around 92 calories. Tossing wedges with oil or finishing with butter raises the total fast, since oils sit near 120 calories per tablespoon and butter sits around 102 per tablespoon. You can scan serving size rules for packaged products in the federal code at 21 CFR 101.12 and read more on the nutrient profile of potatoes, including potassium and vitamin C, from Harvard’s Nutrition Source.

Skin On Versus Peeled

Keeping the peel holds a little more fiber and potassium, which helps fullness and balances the starch. Wet cooking can pull out some minerals, so drain promptly and season after.

Water Loss And Weight

Roasting dries the edges and concentrates energy per bite. If you weigh the cooked portion, you’ll get an accurate number. If you measure by volume (cups), density differences can blur the math and over- or under-shoot your target.

Once you’ve penciled in a target for the day, snacks and sides get easier to budget—you’ll know where a potato fits against your daily calorie needs.

How Big Is A Serving?

Packaged foods use serving sizes defined in regulation. For potato products, the code lists reference amounts for forms like fries and mashed options; labels use those numbers to set “serving size,” which helps comparisons. It isn’t a prescription for your plate, just a labeling standard you can use as a cross-check.

Nutrition Beyond Calories

Yellow potatoes bring more than energy. A plain skin-on serving provides carbohydrate for fuel, some protein, and minerals that matter day to day. Potassium stands out—one medium spud can sit near the mid-hundreds of milligrams—and you’ll pick up vitamin B6 and vitamin C too. Those values shift with method and whether you drain away cooking water.

Fiber And Fullness

Most of the fiber lives in the peel. Keeping skins on nudges the fiber count up and makes the same calories feel more satisfying. For a refresher on how fiber helps with appetite and steady energy, this primer from Harvard explains dietary fiber in plain terms.

Method-By-Method Tips

Boiled Or Steamed

Cut even chunks so they cook at the same pace. Salt the water lightly, simmer until tender, then drain well. Expect about 70–90 calories per 100 grams, plain.

Baked Whole

Prick the skin, set the potato on a rack, and bake until the center yields to a skewer. Plan on roughly 160 calories for a medium potato with nothing on it.

Roasted Wedges

Toss with just 1 teaspoon of oil per serving to keep flavor up and calories in check. That teaspoon adds about 40 calories; a tablespoon adds about 120. If you like a glossy look, mist oil near the end rather than pouring it up front.

Calorie Math With Popular Add-Ons

Here’s a quick way to see how common toppings change the total for a single plain baked medium potato. Keep portions small and you keep the dish light.

Add-Ons And Estimated Added Calories

Topping	Typical Amount	Added Calories
Butter	1 tbsp (14 g)	≈102
Olive oil	1 tsp (5 g)	≈40
Cheddar	1 oz (28 g)	≈110

These figures come from standard references: butter sits near 102 per tablespoon; common oils cluster around 120 per tablespoon (about 40 per teaspoon); cheddar hovers near 110–114 per ounce. If you’re tightening numbers, grate cheese fine and measure fats with spoons, not pours.

Practical Serving Ideas

Light Baked Spud

Split a hot potato, fluff with a fork, stir in a spoon of plain yogurt, fold in chopped chives, and mist with olive oil. Big flavor, small additions.

Herbed Mash

Steam chunks, mash with a splash of cooking water, stir in minced parsley and garlic, and finish with fresh lemon. Skip the butter on weeknights and save it for dinners where you want a richer feel.

Sheet-Pan Wedges

Cut into wedges, toss with 1 teaspoon oil, paprika, and pepper, and roast hot until browned at the edges. Great with a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of yogurt-herb sauce.

Quick FAQ-Style Checks

Is A Small Gold Potato Lower?

Yes—small size means fewer grams, so fewer calories. For a typical small spud around 120 grams, you’re near 85–110 depending on method. A fast way to estimate is to use the 73-calorie-per-100-gram raw number and scale to the weight you plan to eat.

Do Air Fryers Change The Count?

Air fryers mimic oven heat with high-speed air. The calories depend on oil use. If you use only a spray, the potato stays close to baked. If you pour in a tablespoon per serving, add roughly 120.

Bottom Line

Plain yellow potatoes are modest in energy and handy for building satisfying meals. Count on roughly 160 for a baked medium, plan for 70–90 per 100 grams when boiled, and adjust for add-ons. Want a gentle way to burn a bit more each day? Try our walking for health overview.