According to updated information from the Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology “Japanese Food Standard Composition Table 2020 Edition (8th Edition)” it seems that regular potatoes have fewer calories than we usually think. We are used to thinking that 100 g of uncooked, unpeeled regular white potatoes have 76 calories per 100 gm (a calorie density of 345 calories/lb). But according to updated information there are just 51 calories per 100 gm (a calorie density of 231 calories/lb).

That puts ordinary white potatoes on the calorie density level of apples, and less than bananas. But as starches they are much more satisfying than either. They fill you up and help stop you from overeating.

But not all potatoes are built the same. I continue to warn that Japanese sweet potatoes (satsumaimo) are much higher in calories and caloric-density. In fact, when grilled they are well past the calorie density “red line” that so many WFPB (whole food plant based) influencers warn about.

Let’s look at the data. This is per 100 gm and unpeeled. The number in parentheses is the calorie density, measured in the U.S. in calories per lb. Some people just follow calories per lb, but I track total calories because, as I often say, “calories count, whether you count them or not.”

• Regular white potatoes: 51 (231)
• Japanese sweet potatoes (satsumaimo): 127 (576)
• Grilled Japanese sweet potatoes (yakiimo): 176 (800 – past the red line)
• Kabocha (Japanese pumpkin): 78 (354) – kabocha is often undercounted in the U..S. so be careful
• Lotus root (renkon): 66 (300)
• Carrots: 35 (159)
• Japanese white radish (daikon): 15 (68)
• Tomatoes: 20 (91)
• Eggplant: 18 (82) – one of my favorite snacks, raw, and sprinkled with cinnamon
• Broccoli: 37 (168)
• Green peppers: 20 (91)
• Onions: 33 (150)
• Cabbage: 23 (104)
• Lettuce: 11 (50)

As a filling starch, regular potatoes are a great calorie bargain and good for weight control and overall health. And take a look at how they compare with other starches. Again, this is per 100 gm with the per-pound calorie density in parentheses.

• Regular white potatoes, raw: 51 (231)
• Rice, cooked: 156 (708) – disappointingly high, but obviously not unhealthy – look at the average Japanese person!
• White bread: 248 (1,126) – it starts getting dangerously high in calories from here (which caused me to gain a few pounds on my recent U.S. trip)
• Pasta, raw: 371 (1,684) – 100 gm of pasta raw is quite high in calories, so it’s really not good for weight control (see comment added about calorie density of cooked pasta – they might be right!)

Looking over this list it’s reasonable to think that regular, white potatoes as a main staple is a healthy, whole food plant based way to help lose and maintain your weight. If you sometimes indulge in other items, like breads, just be sure to keep track of what you are doing!