Roots and tubers · IFCT 2017
Potato: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, raw big brown-skinned potato gives 70 kcal, 14.9 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g protein, 541 mg potassium and 23.2 mg vitamin C, according to IFCT 2017. It ranks 2nd of 10 roots and tubers for both potassium and vitamin C, and 100 g covers about 29 per cent of a man's daily vitamin C requirement. Its weak point is fibre, the lowest of the roots at 1.7 g.
About potato
Potato, alu in Hindi, Punjabi, Odia and Urdu, gol alu in Bengali, batata in Marathi, bateka in Gujarati, urulai kizhangu in Tamil and bangala dumpa in Telugu, is India's most eaten vegetable. Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar grow the most, with Gujarat's Deesa and Punjab's seed potato belt close behind. The main crop is dug in late winter and kept in cold stores through the year.
IFCT 2017 compares three types. The big brown potato is the reference here. Small brown potatoes, the baby aloo of dum aloo, are lighter at 61 kcal per 100 g with a little more vitamin C, 26.4 mg. Red-skinned potatoes, common in Bengal and the hills, have 73 kcal and 1.8 g protein. Potato is in everything from poha, bhel and bisi bele bath to shukto, kurma and Sikkimese gundruk soup.
What potato brings to a meal
- 01
Potassium among the top roots
Big brown potato has 541 mg potassium per 100 g, 2nd of 10 roots and 51st of 243 foods. Potassium helps balance the sodium in salty food.
- 02
A real vitamin C source
At 23.2 mg vitamin C per 100 g, potato ranks 56th of 130 foods and 2nd among roots, about 29 per cent of a man's and 36 per cent of a woman's daily requirement. Some is lost to boiling.
- 03
Starch, not sugar
Of 14.9 g carbohydrate per 100 g, only 0.3 g is sugars; the rest is starch. Potato is a staple carbohydrate food and is best counted like rice or roti.
- 04
Low in fibre
With 1.7 g fibre per 100 g, potato ranks last of 10 roots. Eating it with the skin and alongside dal and greens makes up the gap.
Potato nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 70 kcal | 3% | 4% |
| Protein | 1.5 g | 3% | 3% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 14.9 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 1.7 g | ||
| Free sugars | 0.3 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.2 g | ||
| Water | 80.7 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.04 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.01 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.13 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 32 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 10 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Iron | 0.57 mg | 3% | 2% |
| Zinc | 0.28 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Magnesium | 24 mg | 5% | 6% |
| Phosphorus | 43 mg | ||
| Potassium | 541 mg | ||
| Sodium | 4 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.09 mg | ||
| Selenium | 0.8 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 23.2 mg | 29% | 36% |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.06 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.01 mg | 0% | 0% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.04 mg | 6% | 7% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.1 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Folate (B9) | 16 µg | 5% | 7% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.06 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 2.1 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Potato: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/roots-and-tubers/potato/
Where potato sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 9 roots and tubers and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In roots and tubers | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potassium | 541 mg | 2nd of 10 | 51st of 243 |
| Vitamin C | 23.2 mg | 2nd of 10 | 56th of 130 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 32 mg | 3rd of 10 | 136th of 202 |
Every form of potato in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potato, brown skin, big (shown above) | 70 kcal | 1.5 g | 1.7 g | 0.57 mg | 10 mg |
| Brown skin, small | 61 kcal | 1.4 g | 1.7 g | 0.53 mg | 9 mg |
| Red skin | 73 kcal | 1.8 g | 1.7 g | 0.66 mg | 9 mg |
How potato is eaten
- Aloo sabzi for puri, the potato curry of north Indian breakfasts and temple kitchens.
- Masala dosa filling and batata vada, both built on boiled potato tempered with mustard, turmeric and curry leaves.
- Aloo posto, Bengal's potatoes cooked in a paste of poppy seeds.
- Dum aloo with small potatoes, slow-cooked in a yoghurt and spice gravy in Kashmir and Punjab.
- Boiled cubes in poha, bhel puri and chaat.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Calories in Aloo Bonda
100 kcal in 1 aloo bonda.
Calories in Aloo Gobi
187 kcal in 1 bowl of aloo gobi.
Calories in Aloo Matar
280 kcal in 1 bowl of aloo matar.
Calories in Aloo Methi
276 kcal in 1 bowl of aloo methi.
Calories in Aloo Palak
192 kcal in 1 bowl of aloo palak.
Calories in Aloo Paratha
191 kcal in 1 aloo paratha.
Calories in Aloo ki Sabzi
181 kcal in 1 bowl of aloo ki sabzi.
Calories in Dahi Aloo
227 kcal in 1 bowl of dahi aloo.
Calories in Dalma
314 kcal in 1 bowl of dalma.
Calories in Masala Dosa
345 kcal in 1 masala dosa.
Calories in Poha
161 kcal in 1 bowl of poha.
Calories in Sabudana Khichdi
508 kcal in 1 bowl of sabudana khichdi.
Calories in Sabudana Vada
105 kcal in 1 sabudana vada.
Calories in Samosa
200 kcal in 1 samosa.
Calories in Sookhe Aloo
109 kcal in 1 bowl of sookhe aloo.
Calories in Sprouts Chaat
83 kcal in 1 plate of sprouts chaat.
Calories in Sprouts Salad
77 kcal in 1 bowl of sprouts salad.
Calories in Stuffed Moong Dal Chilla
352 kcal in 1 stuffed moong dal chilla.
Calories in Vegetable Biryani
527 kcal in 1 plate of vegetable biryani.
Before you plan around it
Potatoes that have turned green or sprouted contain solanine, a natural toxin; cut away green patches and sprouts generously, and discard potatoes that are green throughout. Deep-fried potatoes, from chips to French fries, soak up oil, and very high-heat frying forms acrylamide, so boiling, steaming or roasting is the better daily habit. Kidney patients on a potassium limit are often told to peel, dice and boil potatoes in plenty of water and discard it. Cooled boiled potato carries more resistant starch than hot potato.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about potato
Is potato bad for people with diabetes?
Not bad, but it is a starchy food. Potato has 14.9 g carbohydrate per 100 g, so a large serving counts like extra rice or roti. Smaller portions, the skin left on, and pairing with dal, curd and vegetables help. Plan carbohydrate with your doctor or dietitian.
Does potato make you fat?
Plain potato is moderate in energy, at 70 kcal per 100 g raw. Weight gain comes mostly from how it is cooked and how much is eaten: chips, fries, aloo tikki and paratha add a lot of fat. Boiled or roasted potato in a sensible portion fits a balanced diet.
Which potato has the most vitamin C?
Among the three types in IFCT 2017, small brown potatoes have the most vitamin C, 26.4 mg per 100 g, followed by red-skinned at 25.0 mg and big brown at 23.2 mg. All three are useful sources.
Should potatoes be eaten with the skin?
Yes, when the skin is clean and not green. The skin adds fibre and keeps more nutrients in during boiling. Scrub well under running water before cooking.
Related foods and tables
Sweet potato
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Colocasia root (arbi)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Yam (suran)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Tapioca (cassava)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Carrot
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Potato vs White rice
Side by side, per 100 g.
Sweet potato vs Potato
Side by side, per 100 g.
Potassium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by potassium per 100 g.
Vitamin C content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin c per 100 g.
Omega-3 (ALA) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by omega-3 (ala) per 100 g.
All roots and tubers
10 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.