Potatoes, boiled, cooked without skin, flesh, without salt
Whole food · Vegetables and Vegetable Products
Photo: Wikipedia
A boiled potato, cooked without skin, is a soft, starchy, and mildly sweet staple with a fluffy, tender texture. Nutritionally, it's a low-fat, calorie-efficient source of carbohydrates and dietary fiber, offering a clean, neutral canvas for countless flavors.
Calorie split: 8% protein · 91% carbs · 1% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its incredible versatility and comforting, mild flavor that acts as a perfect base for rich sauces, herbs, and spices. It's a global comfort food, deeply embedded in cultural cuisines from Irish colcannon to Indian aloo gobi.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
As a high-carbohydrate food with a high glycemic index, it can cause rapid blood sugar spikes, making portion control important for those managing diabetes. To counteract this, pair it with protein (like beans or chicken) or healthy fats (like olive oil or avocado) to slow digestion and stabilize blood sugar.
Key benefits
- Good source of energy-providing complex carbohydrates
- Naturally low in fat and contains no cholesterol
- Provides dietary fiber, especially when cooked and cooled
- Rich in potassium, supporting muscle and nerve function
- Contains vitamin B6, important for metabolism
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
Boiling potatoes with their skins on can help retain up to 50% more vitamin C compared to peeling them first, as the skin acts as a protective barrier.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 77.5 g |
| Energy | 86.0 kcal |
| Energy | 360 kj |
| Protein | 1.7 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.10 g |
| Ash | 0.72 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 20.0 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 1.8 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.89 g |
| Sucrose | 0.18 g |
| Glucose | 0.33 g |
| Fructose | 0.28 g |
| Lactose | 0.00 g |
| Maltose | 0.00 g |
| Galactose | 0.00 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 8.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.31 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 20.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 40.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 328 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 5.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.27 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.17 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.14 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 0.30 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 7.4 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.10 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.02 mg |
| Niacin | 1.3 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.51 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.27 mg |
| Folate, total | 9.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 9.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 9.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 13.2 mg |
| Betaine | 0.20 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 0.00 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 1.0 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 2.0 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 9.0 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.01 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Tocopherol, beta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocopherol, gamma | 0.00 mg |
| Tocopherol, delta | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0.00 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 2.2 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.03 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.02 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.04 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.03 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
| Tryptophan | 0.03 g |
| Threonine | 0.06 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.07 g |
| Leucine | 0.10 g |
| Lysine | 0.10 g |
| Methionine | 0.03 g |
| Cystine | 0.02 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.08 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.06 g |
| Valine | 0.10 g |
| Arginine | 0.08 g |
| Histidine | 0.04 g |
| Alanine | 0.05 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.42 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.29 g |
| Glycine | 0.05 g |
| Proline | 0.06 g |
| Serine | 0.07 g |
FAQ
Why do boiled potatoes sometimes have a grainy texture?
A grainy or mealy texture often results from using a starchy potato variety (like Russets) for boiling. For a smoother, waxier texture in boiled dishes, choose varieties like Yukon Gold or red potatoes.
Is the water from boiling potatoes nutritious?
Yes, the cooking water contains leached nutrients like potassium and some B vitamins. It can be cooled and used as a flavorful, nutrient-rich base for soups, stews, or even bread dough.
How does boiling affect the potato's glycemic index (GI)?
Boiling generally results in a higher glycemic index than baking. However, cooling the boiled potato after cooking can increase resistant starch content, which can lower its effective glycemic impact when eaten later.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 0.86 kcal/g · 8% calories from protein · 1.8 g fiber · 0.9 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.02 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.