Ask Dr. Potato

With 934 posts, chances are there's already an answer to your question. Please try searching below before submitting a question to Dr. Potato. Use multiple words to help narrow down the results. For example, search for "potatoes" and "group" if looking for an answer on cooking potatoes for large groups.

Back To Dr. Potato Home

What is the Calorie Content of the Potato Skin?

Q:

I understand that there are 110 calories in an medium size potato. Can you tell me the calorie content of the SKIN of the baked potato? Thank you!

A:

An ‘appealing’ question! Our test example here is a whole, unpeeled potato weighing 5.3 ounces. Upon peeling this sized potato, I used a typical, hand-peeler that I estimate cut approximately 1mm of skin depth. Following this I weighed the potato immediately afterward to minimize any possibility of further dehydration and resulting weight loss. Surprisingly, 1/3 of the total potato weight is peelings. As a 5.3-ounce potato is 110 calories, 1/3 of this amount (or .3333) means the peelings alone are 37 calories (rounding up from 36.66). Keep in mind, larger potatoes on display at your grocer would have a different ratio of skin to the rest of the potato interior. Closer to 10-15%. For example, a larger 70 count potato averages 11.5 ounces and is 238 calories, so the skin of this sized potato would range between 24-36 calories. Don’t forget that peeling potatoes isn’t necessary for many recipes. The skins add color, texture and nutrients to the finished dish.