Potatoes, white, flesh and skin, baked
Whole food · Vegetables and Vegetable Products
Photo: Wikipedia
A whole baked potato, skin-on, offers a fluffy, starchy interior with a crisp, earthy skin. It's a low-fat, high-carb staple providing sustained energy, with the skin contributing significant fiber and nutrients.
💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its comforting, mild flavor and incredible versatility—it's a blank canvas for countless toppings from chili to sour cream and chives, and is a cornerstone of family meals and pub fare across cultures.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Its high carbohydrate content can cause rapid blood sugar spikes, particularly for those with diabetes or insulin resistance. To mitigate this, pair it with protein (like beans or chicken) and healthy fats (like avocado or olive oil), and consider eating it warm rather than reheated to preserve more resistant starch.
Key benefits
- Excellent source of potassium for heart and muscle function.
- High in vitamin C, especially when eaten with the skin.
- Good source of dietary fiber for digestive health.
- Naturally gluten-free and fat-free.
- Provides resistant starch when cooled, which may benefit gut health.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The world record for eating baked potatoes is held by a competitive eater who consumed 7.45 kg (16.4 lbs) in 10 minutes.
Full nutrition (scales with serving)
| Water | 75.4 g |
| Energy | 92.0 kcal |
| Energy | 385 kj |
| Protein | 2.1 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.15 g |
| Ash | 1.2 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 21.1 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 2.1 g |
| Total Sugars | 1.5 g |
| Sucrose | 0.40 g |
| Glucose | 0.63 g |
| Fructose | 0.36 g |
| Lactose | 0.00 g |
| Maltose | 0.00 g |
| Galactose | 0.00 g |
| Starch | 18.0 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 10.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.64 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 27.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 75.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 544 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 7.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.35 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.13 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.19 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 0.50 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 12.6 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.05 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.04 mg |
| Niacin | 1.5 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.38 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.21 mg |
| Folate, total | 38.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 38.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 38.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 14.4 mg |
| Betaine | 0.20 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 1.0 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 6.0 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 10.0 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 30.0 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.04 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) | 2.7 ug |
| Vitamin K (Dihydrophylloquinone) | 0.00 ug |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.04 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 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.03 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.01 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 | 0.07 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.05 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 |
| Tryptophan | 0.02 g |
| Threonine | 0.07 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.07 g |
| Leucine | 0.10 g |
| Lysine | 0.11 g |
| Methionine | 0.03 g |
| Cystine | 0.03 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.08 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.05 g |
| Valine | 0.10 g |
| Arginine | 0.10 g |
| Histidine | 0.04 g |
| Alanine | 0.06 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.49 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.36 g |
| Glycine | 0.06 g |
| Proline | 0.06 g |
| Serine | 0.08 g |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
FAQ
Is the skin nutritious?
Yes, the skin contains a significant portion of the potato's fiber, iron, and potassium. Eating it skin-on maximizes nutritional value.
How does baking compare to boiling?
Baking with the skin on retains more water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C than boiling, where nutrients can leach into the water.
Can it be part of a weight-loss diet?
In moderation, yes. Its high fiber and water content promote satiety. The key is portion control and choosing low-calorie toppings instead of high-fat ones like butter and cheese.