Baked Potato Nutrition: Calories, Carbs and Toppings

A plain medium baked white potato with skin has about 163 calories, 36g carbohydrate and 4g fiber. Per 100g cooked, the USDA reference is about 94 calories. Butter, oil, cheese and other toppings sit on top of that number.

Baked potato calories by size

“Small,” “medium” and “large” are database examples, not fixed supermarket standards. A restaurant baked potato may be far larger than the one you use at home. For a measured portion, weigh the edible cooked potato and multiply grams by 0.94 to estimate calories from the plain potato.

Carbs, fiber and protein in a medium potato

The USDA medium reference provides about 36.5g carbohydrate, 3.6g fiber and 3.6g protein, with very little fat. It also provides potassium. That does not make a plain potato a complete meal, but it does make the “potatoes are just empty calories” shortcut inaccurate. What you add to it can change both its calorie total and its protein content.

How much do toppings change the number?

A teaspoon of butter adds about 34 calories; a tablespoon adds about 102. That takes the reference medium potato from about 163 calories to about 197 or 265, respectively. Oil brushed onto the skin before baking also counts. Cheese, chili, sour cream and bacon can turn a side into dinner, so check portions rather than choosing a generic “loaded potato” entry with unknown ingredients.

For example, if you eat half of a large 281-calorie plain potato with one teaspoon of butter, estimate about 141 + 34 = 175 calories. If the butter was shared over the whole potato before you split it, count only your share. This is a better starting point than treating the full potato as one serving.

White potato versus sweet potato

At equal cooked weight, the reference baked white potato is about 94 calories per 100g; baked sweet potato flesh is about 90. The difference is small. Sweet potatoes offer more beta-carotene, while a white potato is a familiar neutral base for savory toppings. For a separate sweet-potato serving table, see our baked sweet potato nutrition guide.

The most useful tracking decision is to log the form you ate: plain baked potato, not fries, mashed potato with milk, or a potato baked with oil. Those preparations have different additions and sometimes different water content.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories are in a medium baked potato?

A reference medium baked white potato with skin has about 163 calories before butter, oil or other toppings.

How many carbs are in a baked potato?

A reference medium baked white potato has about 36g carbohydrate and about 4g fiber. Larger potatoes contain more.

Is a baked sweet potato lower in calories?

At equal cooked weight, the reference values are close: about 90 calories per 100g for baked sweet potato flesh and 94 for baked white potato with skin.