Hi!

I've got a potato question..... I have a calorie book which claims to list the calories and fat to all the foods we eat, but it's leaving me a bit confused.

It lists 180g baked potato as 245 cals

but

180g boiled potatoes as 128 cals

so why the difference? I would have thought that they would be exactly the same, assuming nothing is added during cooking - or does something happen if you bake a potato that doubles the calories?

Now, I've noticed this book is not 100% accurate with other things, but I thought I'd check with you guys incase I'm missing something!

Thanks!

Love Amanda x

I think they must have included "2 tbsp. of sour cream" or something.
You'll have to see what everyone else says, but..... I don't think roasting a potato gives it more cals than boiling.

I don't know for a fact, but I'm betting that boiled potatoes absorb water during the cooking process. Therefore, part of the weight of the boiled version is water, thus lowering the overall calorie count. In other words, there's less potato in 180g of boiled potato than there is in 180g of baked potato. I would also guess that baking a potato actually causes it to lose a little moisture, and the same weight of raw potato would fall between the baked and the boiled calorie-wise.

I don't know the answer!! I haven't had a potato in like 6 months!!!

Where's miss encyclopedia??? SARAHHHHHHHHH??????

I just entered them both in my nutritional software, where I log all my foods daily, and I came up with:

* 196 calories for 180 grams of potato, baked
* 156 calories for 180 grams of potato, boiled, flesh only (sorry, with skin not an option for some freaky reason)

I also eyeballed the numbers in a couple of calorie counter books I have, and they were almost identical. Have you tried FitDay?

That's funny -- I posted my response before seeing Gretchen's callout! She's so silly....

I knew you'd come through girl... Now you know why I call you what I do??


Loves YA girl!

I got results close to Sarahs but less calories. Howerer it was going by size not grams. It was for a whole potato about 2 1/2 inch round. I am thinking the baked is going to be more because they include the skin. Most people take it off when the boil potatoes.

Here is where I go to check calories.

http://www.freeweightlosscenter.com/cc.htm

Agree with Sarah! I used Fitday and my calories are close to hers... I also go by the size of the potato and not the grams. A baked potato should be fine, I just had one with dinner actually with Molly McButter and a tiny bit of light sour cream. Yummy!

I made a point of using grams as Amanda indicated, being the cool Brit that she is. DietPower allows you to select the unit of measure and then calculates it.....so you can do either the whole item itself, or cups, grams, ounces, pats, tbsp's, etc. I just LOVES ME some DietPower!

Your guess gets my vote

Thank you! I was beginning to think my reseponse was written in invisible pixels ... heh heh

Thanks for your replies!

I've had another look at the book and it basically says that boiled potatoes have the same calorie content as their raw weight - so it can't be anything to do with water absorption can it? This is all getting far too technical for me!

It also says that a baked potato with flesh and skin is 245 cals for 180g, but a baked potato with flesh only is 123 cals for 160g - so it must be something to do with the skin.

Who knew you'd need a science degree to be a calorie counter!

Sarah - I've found Fitday was not that great for us Brits - it doesn't include British brands and I can't be bothered to type everything in from the label!

Thanks again everyone - maybe it will be one of life's great unanswered questions!

Love Amanda x