How much protein is in potato?
Potato has 4.5 g of protein per 1 medium (173 g) — that's 2.6 g per 100 g, or about 0.7 g per ounce. One 1 medium is roughly 9% of the 50 g Daily Value for protein.
USDA FoodData Central · Russet, baked, flesh and skin · FDC 170030
Protein & macros by portion
| Portion | Protein | Calories | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 medium (173 g) | 4.5 g | 164 | 0.2 g | 37 g |
| 100 g | 2.6 g | 95 | 0.1 g | 21.4 g |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 0.7 g | 27 | 0 g | 6.1 g |
Values computed from USDA per-100 g data (FDC 170030, SR Legacy). Russet, baked, flesh and skin.
One medium baked russet potato (173 g, skin on) carries about 4.5 g of protein for roughly 164 calories — and per 100 g that’s just 2.6 g. If you came here searching “protein in a potato,” the straight answer is that a potato is a starchy carbohydrate, not a protein food. Its calories are overwhelmingly starch (about 21 g of carbohydrate per 100 g), with almost no fat. That’s exactly what a potato is for: a filling, inexpensive, nutrient-carrying base for a meal. Just don’t ask it to hit your protein number.
A starchy carb — with a quiet quality twist
Here’s the nuance worth being honest about, because it cuts both ways. The quantity of protein in a potato is small — 4.5 g in a medium one won’t meaningfully move a daily total. But the quality is unusually good for a vegetable. Potato protein has a well-balanced amino-acid profile and is frequently ranked among the higher-quality plant proteins, which is more than you can say for most grains. The honest takeaway isn’t “potatoes are secretly high-protein” — they aren’t — it’s that the little protein they do contain is genuinely usable. Think of it as a small, good-quality bonus riding on a carbohydrate food, not a reason to treat the potato as a protein source.
Where potatoes actually shine
Judge the potato on the right column and it looks great. Its real strengths are the things the “protein in X” question completely misses:
- Potassium. A medium baked potato with the skin delivers about 950 mg of potassium (around 550 mg per 100 g) — comfortably more than a banana’s roughly 420 mg. Potassium is a nutrient most people fall short on.
- Vitamin C. Potatoes are a respectable source, especially when baked rather than boiled, which leaches less of it out.
- Fiber from the skin. Eat it skin-on and you keep most of the fiber (about 2.3 g per 100 g) plus extra minerals; peeling throws much of that away.
So frame the potato honestly: a nutritious, potassium-rich, satisfying carbohydrate — not a protein. The reliable play is to build a protein-containing meal around it: top a baked potato with chicken, eggs, beans, cottage cheese, or chili, or serve it alongside a real protein. Let the potato do what it does well, and let the foods listed below carry the protein.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in a baked potato?
About 4.5 g of protein in one medium baked russet (173 g), which is 2.6 g per 100 g (USDA FDC 170030). That comes with roughly 164 calories, almost all from starch. A potato is a starchy vegetable, not a protein food — but as plant foods go, that 4.5 g punches a little above its weight on quality.
Is a potato a good source of protein?
No, not in quantity — about 4.5 g per medium potato won't move your daily total much. The honest nuance is that potato protein is unusually high quality for a vegetable, with a well-balanced amino-acid profile. But there's so little of it that you should still treat the potato as a carbohydrate side and get your protein from what's on top of or beside it.
Is potato protein complete?
Close, for a plant food. Potato protein has a notably well-balanced amino-acid profile and is often cited among the higher-quality vegetable proteins. The catch is purely quantity: a medium potato only delivers about 4.5 g, so the good quality is spread thin. It's a nice bonus on a carbohydrate food, not a protein source you'd rely on.
Does a potato have more potassium than a banana?
Yes — this is the potato's real headline. A medium baked russet with the skin has roughly 950 mg of potassium (about 550 mg per 100 g), comfortably more than a banana's ~420 mg. It also supplies vitamin C and, if you eat the skin, a useful dose of fiber. Potatoes earn their place as a nutritious carb, not as a protein.
Should I eat the potato skin?
If you want the most nutrition, yes. Most of a potato's fiber lives in and just under the skin (about 2.3 g per 100 g for flesh-and-skin), along with extra potassium and minerals. Peeling removes much of that. Leaving the skin on a baked or roasted potato keeps the fiber and micronutrients that make it worth eating — the protein stays modest either way.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-03, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 170030 (Potatoes, Russet, flesh and skin, baked; SR Legacy). We re-verify reference pages periodically and update when USDA revises the entry.
Whole-food values are USDA reference data and are not assigned a Labelgrade — that score is for branded packaged products, where ingredients and added sugar/sodium actually vary. See our methodology and how much protein you need per day.