Nutritional Information for Potatoes
Potatoes are a starchy staple delivering around 77 kcal per 100g when boiled, with moderate protein (1.8-2.5g) and virtually no fat. From a SpikeSaver perspective, potatoes are one of the highest-GI whole foods you can eat — boiled white potatoes sit around GI 78, and baked potatoes climb to GI 93. The cooking method matters enormously: cooling cooked potatoes increases resistant starch and lowers the effective GI. New potatoes and waxy varieties tend to spike blood sugar less than floury Maris Pipers or baking potatoes.
Nutrition per 100g
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 77 kcal / 328 kJ | 135 kcal |
| Protein | 1.8g | 3.2g |
| Carbohydrates | 17.5g | 30.6g |
| of which sugars | 1g | — |
| Fat | 0.1g | 0.2g |
| of which saturated | 0g | — |
| Fibre | 1.8g | — |
| Salt | 0.01g | — |
Serving size: 1 medium potato (~175g, boiled) · Source: Tesco product page, October 2025
Glucose impact
High
Glucose risk
Potatoes have one of the highest glycaemic index values of any whole food. Boiled white potatoes score around GI 78 and baked potatoes can reach GI 93. This is because potato starch is rapidly digested into glucose. The glucose impact is real and significant — a medium baked potato can spike blood sugar as much as white bread. Cooling potatoes after cooking forms resistant starch which lowers the effective GI somewhat. Eating potatoes with fat, protein, or vinegar also blunts the spike.
Processing level
A raw potato is a single-ingredient unprocessed food — just potato. It has no additives, preservatives, or flavourings. Even boiled or baked potatoes remain NOVA 1. However, prepared potato products like frozen chips, croquettes, mashed potato with added butter/cream, or flavoured potato products can climb to NOVA 3 or NOVA 4 depending on added ingredients.
Potatoes at Tesco
Source: Tesco product page, October 2025
*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 raw or simply cooked potatoes are always NOVA 1. The danger zone is prepared potato products — frozen chips, croquettes, instant mash, and flavoured potatoes can contain modified starch, emulsifiers, flavourings, and dextrose. From a glucose perspective, baking potatoes have the highest GI (~93). New/baby potatoes tend to be lower GI (~65-70) due to their waxy texture. Budget tip: Tesco Baking Potatoes 4 Pack at £0.79 is the cheapest option, but Tesco Baby Potatoes 1Kg at £0.98 is better for blood sugar control.
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