Protein content
A 1 cup serving of mashed potatoes contains 3.9 g of protein - a moderate source of protein, about 8% of the 50 g Daily Value.
Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is more of an energy food than a protein food.
| Serving | 1 cup (210 g) |
|---|---|
| Protein per serving | 3.9 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 1.86 g |
| Calories per serving | 237 kcal |
| Protein density | 7% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 8% |
| Protein quality | Incomplete protein |
| Category | Vegetables |
| Food type | Prepared / processed |
| USDA record | FoodData Central #168555 |
A typical 1 cup serving of mashed potatoes contains 3.9 grams of protein (1.86 g per 100 g), which makes it a moderate source of protein. That covers roughly 8% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it adds toward your protein total for the day.
Only about 7% of the calories in mashed potatoes come from protein, so it is more of an energy food than a protein food. It is worth eating for other reasons; the protein it adds to a day is incidental.
Among the 105 vegetables in the database, mashed potatoes ranks 22nd by protein per serving, and 550th out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against creamed corn, another vegetable entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.6 g less protein (creamed corn has 4.5 g per 1 cup).
It is an incomplete protein on its own; pairing it with other plant foods across the day covers the full range of essential amino acids. The serving above is measured by volume at 210 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
Made with milk and butter, so part of the protein comes from the dairy rather than the potato.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #168555 - "Potatoes, mashed, home-prepared, whole milk and butter added" (SR Legacy, published 4/1/2019). Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.
Quick answers
Mashed potatoes has 1.86 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 1 cup serving (210 g) provides 3.9 g.
No. Mashed potatoes is an incomplete protein on its own; pairing it with other protein sources across the day covers the full range of essential amino acids.
A 1 cup serving of mashed potatoes contains 3.9 g of protein, about 8% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Mashed potatoes is a moderate source of protein, and about 7% of its calories come from protein, which makes it more of an energy food than a protein food. Set against creamed corn, another vegetable entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.6 g less protein (creamed corn has 4.5 g per 1 cup).
Related