Are Hash Browns Healthy? [Find Out Now]

Breakfast can be a challenging meal to come up with healthy options. Sugary cereal, muffins, and other low-fiber and low-protein foods aren’t very filling and can leave you feeling hungry shortly after you eat.

Whether you’re trying to lose weight or just wanting to make better eating choices, you might be wondering if foods like hash browns are worthy of inclusion in your diet.

Hashbrowns can be part of a balanced diet, but their nutritional value largely depends on the cooking method and ingredients used. Traditionally fried hashbrowns are higher in fat and calories, which may not be ideal for those monitoring their calorie or fat intake. Baking or air-frying hashbrowns, using minimal oil, can be a healthier alternative, reducing the fat content while retaining the potato’s natural nutrients. It’s also important to consider portion sizes and frequency of consumption, as overeating even healthier versions can contribute to an unbalanced diet.

DISCLAIMER: While this information was prepared by a certified dietitian, it is NOT a medical advice. Please consult your own medical professional before altering your diet. The information is strictly for educational purposes.

Hash Brown Nutritional Information

1.Idaho Spuds Hashbrown Potatoes

Ingredients:

• Idaho Potatoes
• Salt
• Dextrose
• Freshness Preserved With: Sodium Bisulfite

Nutritional Information (per ½ cup prepared):

• Calories: 90
• Total Fat: 4 g
• Sodium: 250 mg (11% DV)
• Total Carbohydrate: 13 g
• Protein: 1 g

2.Market Pantry Frozen Hash Brown Patties

Ingredients:

• Potatoes
• Vegetable Oil (Contains One Or More Of The Following Oils: Canola, Soybean, Cottonseed, Sunflower, Corn)
• Contains 2% Or Less Of Dextrose, Natural Flavor, Salt, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate Added To Maintain Color.

Nutritional Information (per one patty):

• Calories: 130
• Total Fat: 9 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Sodium: 280 mg (12% DV)
• Total Carbohydrate: 11 g
• Dietary Fiber: <1 g
• Protein: <1 g

3.Ore Ida Hash Brown Potatoes

Ingredients:

• Potatoes
• Dextrose
• Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (to Retain Color)

Nutritional Information (per 3/4 cup):

• Calories: 60
• Total Fat: 0 g
• Saturated Fat: 0 g
• Sodium: 15 mg (1% DV)
• Total Carbohydrate: 13 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1 g
• Sugars: 1 g
• Added Sugar: 0 g
• Protein: 2 g

Hash Brown Nutrition vs. Other Potato Products

*= not provided for the product being compared

Compared to other potato products, hash brown patties are higher in fat and sodium but are lower in total carbohydrates per serving.

Homemade Hash Browns vs. Store Bought (frozen)

Homemade hash browns are similar in fat in this instance (it will depend on the recipe used) but much lower in sodium.

Homemade hash browns are higher in carbohydrates but higher in fiber, and are also higher in protein compared to store-bought.

What Makes a Food “Healthy”

Calories

If you’re trying to lose weight, you might be paying close attention to the calories in foods.

High-calorie foods are often thought of as “unhealthy”, but this isn’t always the case. What’s more important is where those calories are coming from.

Eating fewer calories than you burn on a consistent basis can aid in weight loss.

In general, a food is considered low-calorie if it contains 40 calories or less, but there aren’t guidelines as to what makes a food high-calorie. 

Sodium

Processed and ready-to-make foods like hash browns can be high in sodium (salt). High-salt diets can worsen chronic health conditions like high blood pressure and kidney disease.

The recommended amount of sodium to eat per day is fewer than 2,300 milligrams, yet the average American eats around 3,400 milligrams of sodium daily.

Foods with fewer than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving are considered low-sodium.

Try to avoid regularly eating foods with more than 20% of the daily value of sodium per serving.

Store-bought hashbrowns vary in sodium content but average around 10% of the daily value per serving. 

Fat

There is a lot of debate about the amount of fat to eat in your diet to be healthy.

Foods high in unsaturated fat like the kind found in plants (nuts, seeds, avocados, vegetable oils) are considered healthier than saturated fat (the kind found in butter, meat, and other animal products). 

Saturated fat can raise your bad cholesterol, but it’s not necessarily bad for you. What’s more important is that your diet is well-balanced, low in processed foods with refined ingredients, and coupled with regular physical activity.

Cook hashbrowns in heart-healthy oils like olive oil, canola oil, or avocado oil.

Fiber

The typical Western diet is high in refined carbohydrates from ingredients like enriched flour and refined sugars.

Most people fall short of the recommended 25-35 grams of fiber per day. A food is considered to be a good source of fiber when it contains at least three grams of fiber per serving.

Most store-bought hashbrowns contain fewer than three grams of fiber per serving.

Sugar

Not all sugar is created equally. Foods are considered healthier when they have natural sugar instead of added sugar.

It’s still possible to get too much natural sugar at once, such as from drinking too much fruit juice.

Added sugar intake should be less than 36 grams per day for men and less than 25 grams per day for women according to the American Heart Association.

The majority of store-bought hashbrowns don’t contain added sugar, which is great.

Protein

Foods rich in protein help make you feel full and satisfied, which can aid in weight loss and minimize cravings. Protein also helps build lean muscle and aids in wound healing.

Hash Browns and Your Health

Are hash browns good to eat for breakfast?

Hash browns are a popular breakfast food. Hash browns can be part of a healthy, balanced breakfast, but you won’t want to rely on them as the main part of your breakfast.

Hash browns are low in fiber because the skins are removed. They’re also low in protein with the majority of the calories coming from starch (carbs).

To make a healthier breakfast, include a protein source and a non-starchy vegetable with hash browns.

For example, a vegetable omelet with a hash brown cooked in olive oil is balanced with all three main nutrients – carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

Are hash browns good for weight loss?

Hash browns aren’t considered a “weight-loss food” since they aren’t very filling on their own.

Foods beneficial for weight loss are filling due to their protein, fiber, and/or healthy fat content.

Hash browns can easily fit in a balanced diet for weight loss, but they aren’t a star player on their own when it comes to weight loss.

Are You Tired of Preparing Healthier Meals? Get 10% Off Now

Are hash browns healthier than french fries?

Hash browns are usually prepared with less fat than French fries, which are immersed in oil in the deep-frying process.

It depends on the cooking method for the hash browns and the French fries in question, though.

The type of oil (and how much) you use to make hash browns is a major factor when comparing hash browns to French fries.

Using a small amount of olive oil or avocado oil is recommended since these types of oils are healthy and hold up to high heat well, which gives hash browns a nice crispy texture.

Homemade baked French fries are healthier than store-bought hash browns cooked in butter or bacon grease because they’re higher in fiber, lower in sodium, and are free of preservatives.

Are hash browns good for diabetics?

Hash browns are a source of carbohydrates, the nutrient that raises blood sugar levels the most compared to the other main nutrients (protein and fat).

People with diabetes can still eat carbohydrates like hash browns, but the portion size and balance of the meal is the more important factor.

Keeping your portion size of hash browns to one serving and balancing it with vegetables and a protein source can help promote healthy blood sugar levels compared to eating a carbohydrate-dense breakfast of foods like hash browns, cereal, pancakes, and other high-carbohydrate foods.

Be mindful of how much ketchup you use on your hash browns. Added sugar is hidden in many foods, including ketchup which contains three grams of added sugar per tablespoon.

What are some healthy alternatives to hash browns?

Hash browns are shredded potatoes usually lacking fiber-rich potato skin. Fiber is beneficial for weight loss, heart health, and digestive health.

Using whole potatoes and cooking them yourself is a healthier alternative to maintain the fiber content and control how much sodium is in your food.

Dicing potatoes with their skin on, tossing them in olive oil and a pinch of salt (and other spices if you’d like) are healthier than hash browns.

Healthier Alternatives to Hash Browns (also ready-to-prepare)

1.Kroger® Prepped Sweet Potato Cubes

These sweet potato cubes are ready to toss in olive oil and bake in the oven. They contain no added sugar or added sodium, making them a great alternative to hash browns.

Ingredients:

• Sweet Potato

Nutritional Information (per ½ cup):

• Calories: 60
• Total Fat: 0 g
• Sodium: 25 mg (1% DV)
• Total Carbohydrate: 15 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 5 g
• Added Sugars: 0 g
• Protein: 1 g

2.Simply Potatoes Diced Potatoes

If you’re not a sweet potato fan, these diced white potatoes are a healthier option than hash browns since they contain more fiber, more protein, and less sodium than most frozen hash browns.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes
• Dextrose
• Disodium Pyrophosphate (added To Maintain Color)
• Potassium Sorbate And Sodium Bisulfite (added To Maintain Freshness)

Nutritional Information (per ¾ cup):

• Calories: 90
• Total Fat: 0 g
• Sodium: 70 mg (3% DV)
• Total Carbohydrate: 21 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 0 g
• Added Sugars: 0 g
• Protein: 2 g

3.Simply Potatoes Shredded Hashbrowns

These hashbrowns are slightly higher in fiber and lower in sodium than other types of hashbrowns. 

Ingredients:

• Potatoes
•  Dextrose
•  Contains 1/2% or Less of the Following: Disodium Pyrophosphate (Added To Maintain Color), Potassium Sorbate and Sodium Bisulfite (Added To Maintain Freshness)

Nutritional Information (per 2/3 cup):

• Calories: 70
• Total Fat: 0 g
• Sodium: 55 mg (3% DV)
• Total Carbohydrate: 15 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 0 g
• Added Sugars: 0 g
• Protein: 2 g

Homemaking Team

We are a team of passionate moms and homemakers. Among us are certified nutritionists, chefs, certified food handlers, accountants, financial gurus, and other professionals. Our joint goal is to educate homemakers. Check out the about us page for more information about our team’s credentials.