Potatoes are often pigeonholed as a simple starch, but they also deliver a small, steady supply of plant protein. A medium potato provides around 2–4 grams of protein depending on how it is cooked, whether the skin is left on, and the portion you actually eat. This potato protein per 100g calculator turns any serving size into a precise protein figure.
Enter grams, ounces, pounds, or a count of medium potatoes, pick your cooking method — raw, boiled, baked, roasted, microwaved, or mashed — and the tool shows protein grams, the share of a daily protein target, and a simple step-by-step calculation. It's useful for macro tracking, meal prep, vegetarian meal planning, or anyone curious about how much protein a potato actually contributes.
Built on standard USDA nutrition data, the calculator keeps the math transparent so you can compare potato forms side by side and fit them confidently into a balanced diet.
🥔 Potato Protein Per 100g Calculator
Find out how much protein is in any potato serving.
Step-by-Step Guide
Start by entering the weight of your potato serving — either in grams, ounces, pounds, or as a whole medium potato. Then choose the potato form that matches how you plan to eat it. The calculator uses a protein-per-100g value for each form, so all you need is one number and one selection. If you are tracking toward a daily protein goal, add your target (50 g is the standard reference value); otherwise the tool uses 50 g automatically.
For the most realistic result, weigh the potato after cooking if you plan to eat it boiled, baked, roasted, microwaved, or mashed. A raw potato and the same potato baked are not the same weight — baking removes moisture, so 200 g raw will become roughly 150–170 g baked. That weight change is why the calculator asks you to pick a form: the protein value is expressed per 100 g of that specific form.
Tip: If you are meal-prepping several servings, multiply your single-serving result by the number of portions before entering it. For example, a 3-serving side dish of roasted potatoes should be entered as the total cooked weight, not one portion.
How It Works
The calculation follows the standard nutrient-labeling formula: Protein (g) = portion weight in grams × protein-per-100g value ÷ 100. First the tool converts your chosen unit to grams. One medium potato is treated as roughly 173 g, one ounce as 28.3495 g, and one pound as 453.592 g. It then multiplies that weight by the protein density for your selected potato form.
The per-100g values are based on typical entries from the USDA FoodData Central database, which is the reference source used by most nutrition tracking apps. Because potato varieties, growing conditions, cooking methods, and whether the skin is kept on can all shift the number slightly, treat results as useful estimates rather than laboratory-precise measurements. The protein in potatoes is also incomplete on its own — it is low in certain essential amino acids — but when eaten alongside beans, grains, or dairy, it contributes to a full amino acid profile.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Baked potato with dinner. Suppose you eat one large baked potato with skin, weighing 300 g after cooking. Choose baked (skin on) at 2.50 g per 100g. Protein = 300 × 2.50 ÷ 100 = 7.50 g. Against a 50 g daily target, that is 15% of your protein goal.
Example 2: Mashed potatoes as a side. A 180 g scoop of mashed potatoes (prepared with milk and butter) is selected as mashed at 1.86 g per 100g. Protein = 180 × 1.86 ÷ 100 = 3.35 g. Against a 60 g daily target, that is 5.6%. It is a modest contribution, which is why many athletes pair potatoes with a protein source like chicken, fish, yogurt, or tofu.
Example 3: Converting from ounces. If your recipe calls for 6 oz of roasted potatoes, the tool first converts to 6 × 28.3495 ≈ 170.1 g, then computes 170.1 × 2.60 ÷ 100 ≈ 4.42 g protein. This shows why unit conversion matters: getting the gram weight right is the largest source of error in any nutrition estimate.
Reference Protein Values
| Potato Form | Protein per 100g | Typical Serving | Protein in a Serving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw (with skin) | 2.05 g | 200 g | 4.1 g |
| Boiled (without skin) | 1.87 g | 180 g | 3.4 g |
| Baked (skin on) | 2.50 g | 200 g | 5.0 g |
| Roasted | 2.60 g | 170 g | 4.4 g |
| Microwaved (skin on) | 2.10 g | 200 g | 4.2 g |
| Mashed (with milk & butter) | 1.86 g | 180 g | 3.3 g |
Tips for Accurate Tracking
- Use a food scale for best results — measuring by volume or “one potato” is less consistent.
- Leave the skin on for more protein and fiber; removing the skin lowers the total protein slightly.
- Frozen or processed potato products usually contain added fats and starch that lower the protein percentage.
- Your daily protein target depends on body weight and activity level; a common starting point is 0.8 g per kg of body weight.
- If you track in an app, compare the app's entry for the same potato form — values can differ between brands and databases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does boiling remove protein? Protein itself largely stays in the potato, but boiling adds water and slightly changes the per-100g percentage. That is why boiled potatoes show a lower protein density than roasted ones. Some water-soluble nutrients do leach into the cooking water, but protein is less affected than many other compounds.
Are these values suitable for every potato variety? They are good averages for common white, russet, and red potatoes. Specialty varieties such as purple potatoes may differ slightly, so check package nutrition labels when available.
Is potato protein a complete protein? No. Potato protein contains all essential amino acids but is relatively low in some of them, so it is considered an incomplete protein. Combining potatoes with legumes, dairy, eggs, meat, or whole grains helps fill the gaps.
For more detailed nutrient data, you can browse the public USDA FoodData Central database and search for “potatoes” plus the specific preparation method.