How many calories in a jacket potato?

A medium baked potato (~220g) has around 235 calories plain. With cheese and beans, that jumps to 445 calories. The toppings usually add more calories than the potato itself.

Are potatoes high in calories?

Plain boiled potatoes are moderate at ~77 kcal/100g. The cooking method matters hugely: boiled (105 kcal/150g), mashed with butter (175 kcal), roasted (215 kcal), chips (350+ kcal).

What's the lowest calorie way to eat potatoes?

Boiled new potatoes — 105 kcal per 150g serving with no added fat. A close second is a plain jacket potato at 107 kcal/100g.

Glucose: HighNOVA 1

How Many Calories for Potato?

Q: What is the glycemic index of potato?

Potato has a glycemic index of 89, which is classified as High GI. Baked potatoes have one of the highest glycaemic indices of any common food â€” estimated at 85-93 depending on variety. The baking process breaks down the potato starch into a form that is very rapidly digested and converted to glucose. A single large baked potato delivers 56.5g of carbohydrates, causing a substantial blood sugar spike. Eating the skin (which contains most of the fibre) helps slightly, but the GI remains firmly in the 'high' category. Adding protein (cheese, tuna, beans) or fat (butter) can help blunt the spike.

1 large baked potato (~250g) of potato contains around 269 calories (107 kcal per 100g). Potato is classified as NOVA 1 (unprocessed).

Calories by preparation

Method	Calories	Protein	Fat	Carbs	NOVA
Baked jacket potato (1 medium ~220g)Plain baked — the toppings change everything	235	5.5g	0.3g	52g	1
Jacket potato with cheese & beansCheese + beans nearly double the caloriesBaked beans are typically NOVA 3-4 (added sugar, modified starch). Check the tin.	445	18g	14g	60g	—
Boiled new potatoes (150g serving)Clean, simple — lowest calorie potato option	105	2.7g	0.2g	23.5g	1
Roasted potatoes (150g serving)Roasting oil doubles the calories vs boiled	215	3.5g	8g	33g	1
Mashed potato with butter (150g)Butter adds ~40 kcal per servingHomemade = NOVA 1. Instant mash powder = NOVA 4 (emulsifiers, flavourings, dried milk)	175	3g	5.5g	28g	1

Nutrition per 100g

Nutrient	Per 100g	Per serving
Energy	107 kcal / 455 kJ	269 kcal
Protein	2.5g	6.3g
Carbohydrates	22.6g	56.5g
of which sugars	1.4g	—
Fat	0.2g	0.5g
of which saturated	0.1g	—
Fibre	2.6g	—
Salt	0.01g	—

Serving size: 1 large baked potato (~250g) · Source: Tesco product page, October 2025

Glucose impact

Glycemic Index

High

Glucose risk

Baked potatoes have one of the highest glycaemic indices of any common food — estimated at 85-93 depending on variety. The baking process breaks down the potato starch into a form that is very rapidly digested and converted to glucose. A single large baked potato delivers 56.5g of carbohydrates, causing a substantial blood sugar spike. Eating the skin (which contains most of the fibre) helps slightly, but the GI remains firmly in the 'high' category. Adding protein (cheese, tuna, beans) or fat (butter) can help blunt the spike.

Processing level

NOVA 1 (unprocessed)

A plain baked potato is NOVA 1 — an unprocessed single-ingredient food. You are simply baking a whole potato with no additives. Tesco sells baking potatoes loose and in packs with no ingredient list beyond 'potato'. However, prepared potato products like Tesco Baked Potatoes with Cheddar (NOVA 3) or Tesco Finest Potato Dauphinoise (NOVA 3) contain added cream, cheese, butter, and salt that increase the processing level.

Potato at Tesco

Source: Tesco product page, October 2025

Tesco Large Baking Potatoes Loose

£0.24*NOVA 1 (unprocessed)

Tesco Baking Potatoes 4 Pack

£0.79*NOVA 1 (unprocessed)

Tesco Finest Jacket Potatoes 4 Pack

£1.60*NOVA 1 (unprocessed)

Tesco 2 Baked Potatoes With Cheddar 450G

2 UPF markers

NOVA 3 (processed)

Tesco Finest Golden-Baked Potato Dauphinoise 400g

3 UPF markers

£3.25*NOVA 3 (processed)

*Prices were correct at the time of collection and may have since changed. Check Tesco.com for current pricing.

What to watch for when shopping

Plain baked potatoes are NOVA 1 but have an extremely high GI (85-93) — higher than white bread. This makes them one of the biggest glucose-spiking common foods. A large baked potato delivers 56.5g of carbs, which is more than two slices of white bread. To manage the spike: eat the skin (adds fibre), add protein-rich toppings (tuna, cheese, beans), and avoid eating a jacket potato as a standalone meal. Cooling a baked potato and reheating it increases resistant starch, which can modestly lower the GI. Budget tip: Tesco Large Baking Potatoes Loose at £0.24 each is exceptional value.

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