Are potatoes good for protein? Separating fact from fiction in your diet

October 26, 2025 •

4 min read

While often dismissed as a simple carbohydrate, a medium potato with its skin contains about 3 grams of high-quality plant-based protein. So, are potatoes good for protein? The answer reveals more than just the quantity, highlighting their nutritional quality and how they can be strategically incorporated into a balanced dietary pattern.

Quick Summary

Potatoes contain a small but nutritionally high-quality amount of plant protein, complete with all essential amino acids. While not a primary protein source, they contribute meaningfully to overall intake and offer significant vitamins, minerals, and complex carbohydrates.

Key Points

High-Quality Protein: While low in quantity, potato protein is high-quality and contains all nine essential amino acids, making it valuable for plant-based diets.
Not a Primary Source: Potatoes should not be relied upon as a primary source of protein, but rather as a contributor to overall dietary protein intake.
Nutrient-Dense Package: The potato offers far more than just carbohydrates, packing vitamins like C and B6, along with minerals such as potassium.
Healthy Preparation is Key: The health benefits are maximized by baking, boiling, or steaming with the skin on, and are diminished by frying and high-fat toppings.
Boost Resistant Starch: Cooling cooked potatoes increases their resistant starch, which benefits gut health and blood sugar control.
Combine for Complete Meals: Pairing potatoes with legumes, dairy, or nuts helps create a meal with a complete amino acid profile for maximum protein benefit.

Demystifying Potato Protein

Potatoes often carry a reputation as a high-carb, low-nutrient food, especially when compared to protein giants like meat or legumes. However, this perspective overlooks the complete nutritional profile of this versatile vegetable. A medium, 5.3-ounce potato with its skin on provides approximately 3 grams of plant-based protein. While this is a modest amount compared to animal sources, it's the quality of this protein that is particularly noteworthy for a plant food. The potato's protein, known as patatin, is considered to have a high biological value, meaning it provides a well-balanced spectrum of essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce themselves. This makes potatoes a valuable component of a varied plant-based diet, especially when paired with other protein sources.

The Power of a Potato: Beyond the Carbs

Far from being "empty calories," a baked or boiled potato with its skin is a nutrient-dense food. Its nutritional benefits extend well beyond its role as an energy-providing carbohydrate, offering an impressive array of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Key Nutrients Found in a Potato

Potassium: Potatoes are an excellent source of potassium, containing more than a medium-sized banana. This electrolyte is vital for muscle function, heart health, and maintaining healthy blood pressure.
Vitamin C: They are also a great source of Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that supports iron absorption and immune function. Cooking with the skin on helps to preserve this water-soluble vitamin.
Dietary Fiber: Keeping the skin on significantly boosts the potato's fiber content, which aids digestive health and promotes feelings of fullness.
Resistant Starch: Cooking and then cooling potatoes can increase their resistant starch content. This type of fiber acts as a prebiotic, feeding beneficial gut bacteria and potentially improving blood sugar control.
Vitamin B6: Potatoes are a good source of Vitamin B6, which plays an important role in protein and carbohydrate metabolism.

Combining Potatoes for Complete Protein Meals

For those following a plant-based diet, combining different food sources throughout the day ensures all essential amino acids are consumed. Potatoes, despite having a high-quality protein, are not a complete protein powerhouse on their own. However, when combined with complementary foods, they can help create a nutritionally complete meal. Some ideal pairings include:

Potatoes and Legumes: A baked potato topped with seasoned black beans or lentils creates a hearty, complete protein meal.
Potatoes and Dairy (or alternatives): Mashed potatoes mixed with low-fat Greek yogurt or cottage cheese boosts the protein content significantly. For a vegan option, nutritional yeast can add protein and a cheesy flavor.
Potatoes and Nuts/Seeds: A potato salad made with a creamy, cashew-based dressing and sprinkled with seeds can offer a protein-rich twist on a classic dish.

Cooking Methods for Maximum Nutritional Value

How you prepare a potato dramatically influences its healthfulness. While a plain baked or boiled potato is a low-fat, low-sodium choice, adding unhealthy toppings or cooking methods can reverse its benefits.

Best practices for healthier potato preparation:

Eat the skin: The skin is where a significant portion of the fiber, potassium, and other nutrients are concentrated. Scrub thoroughly and enjoy!
Bake or Roast: These cooking methods add very little fat while delivering a satisfying texture. A light drizzle of olive oil with herbs is a great option.
Steam or Boil: While some water-soluble nutrients can leach into the water, boiling with the skin on helps retain more of them. Cooking and cooling boiled potatoes also increases their resistant starch.
Go easy on toppings: Loaded with cheese, bacon, and sour cream, a baked potato can become a calorie bomb. Opt for healthier alternatives like low-fat Greek yogurt, chives, or steamed vegetables.

Comparison: Potato vs. Other Plant Proteins

To put the potato's protein contribution into perspective, here is a comparison with other common plant-based protein sources based on a 100g (approximately 3.5oz) serving:


Food (100g serving)	Protein (approx. grams)	Notes
Potato (cooked, with skin)	2.5	Provides high-quality, complete protein for a plant source.
Lentils (cooked)	9	Excellent protein source, often paired with grains.
Chickpeas (cooked)	7	Versatile legume with high protein and fiber.
Tofu (firm)	12	Complete plant protein, a staple in vegan diets.
Quinoa (cooked)	4.4	A complete protein seed, higher in protein than potatoes.
Broccoli (raw)	2.5	Similar protein quantity to potatoes, lower calorie density.

As the table illustrates, a potato offers a comparable amount of protein to other nutrient-dense vegetables like broccoli. While legumes and soy products contain more protein per serving, the potato's unique amino acid profile and dense nutrient package make it a valuable contributor, not a replacement, for a balanced protein intake.

Conclusion

So, are potatoes good for protein? The answer is nuanced. No, they are not a primary source like beans or tofu due to their lower total protein content per gram. However, the protein they do contain is of exceptionally high biological value for a plant food, meaning it is easily used by the body and includes all nine essential amino acids. When prepared healthily—baked, boiled, or steamed with the skin on—potatoes offer far more than just carbohydrates. They are a valuable, nutrient-dense food packed with potassium, vitamin C, fiber, and resistant starch. By combining them with other plant-based protein sources, they contribute to a well-rounded and nutritious diet, helping to combat the misconception that they are just "empty calories".

Authoritative Link: National Institutes of Health (NIH) | (.gov)

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, for a plant food, the protein in potatoes is considered high-quality because it contains all nine essential amino acids needed by the human body.

A medium-sized potato (around 5.3 ounces or 148g), baked with the skin on, provides approximately 3 grams of plant-based protein.

A potato has significantly more protein. A medium potato has about 3 grams of protein, while a medium banana typically contains around 1.3 grams.

Recent research has shown that isolated potato protein concentrate can effectively increase muscle protein synthesis rates, similar to milk protein. However, extracting enough from whole potatoes is not realistic for the average person; it's best to combine potatoes with other protein sources.

Yes, their protein content is very similar. A medium sweet potato has around 2 grams of protein, while a medium white potato has about 3 grams.

To increase the protein content of a potato-based meal, combine it with higher-protein foods such as legumes (beans, lentils), low-fat Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or lean meat.

No, it's a myth that all nutrients are in the skin. The skin contains a significant amount of fiber, but the majority of the potato's valuable potassium and vitamin C is found in the flesh.