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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.