Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsColor of PoopPaleYellowGreenBright RedBlackTypes of PoopWhen to See a Doctor
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Color of Poop
Pale
Yellow
Green
Bright Red
Black
Types of Poop
When to See a Doctor
Your poop (stool) can reveal information about your health. Your diet can lead to typically temporary changes in poop color or shape, but so can a range of health conditions that cause poop to be pale or dark, turn green, become runny, or containmucus.
Keeping an eye on the color, shape, and texture of poop can help you to know when there is a change. For example, theBristol chartillustrated below is a tool that healthcare providers use to describe poop.
When changes persist over time, or you also have symptoms like pain and bleeding, contact your provider for a diagnosis.
What Does the Color of Your Poop Mean?
Normal, healthy stool ranges from various shades of brown to greenish brown. This may vary if you eat lots of colorful foods.
Unhealthy stool can look like any poop color change that can’t be tied to your diet, and that is a reason to call your healthcare provider.
Poop color that suddenly changes without an obvious reason may indicate an issue, especially if you have other unusual symptoms like pain or bleeding. Red or maroon stool as well as black or tarry stool requires immediate medical attention.
Pale Poop Color
Bile salts in the intestines give stool its usual brown color. If your poop color is light (either pale, white, grey, or clay-colored), there could be a lack of bile in the stool. A blockage of the bile ducts from gallstones, or a condition affecting your gallbladder, liver, or pancreas, can cause decreased bile output.
Poop that is pale or light-colored could also mean there is excessive fat in the poop—a condition calledsteatorrhea.
SteatorrheaSteatorrhea means there is excessive fat in your stool. Your stool may be pale or yellow as well as shiny or greasy, foul-smelling, or frothy. It may float in the toilet bowl and it oftensticksto the side of the bowl and is difficult to flush away.
Steatorrhea
Steatorrhea means there is excessive fat in your stool. Your stool may be pale or yellow as well as shiny or greasy, foul-smelling, or frothy. It may float in the toilet bowl and it oftensticksto the side of the bowl and is difficult to flush away.
Additionally, stool may become temporarily pale after a barium enema test.
If you notice that your poop color is white, clay-colored, or chalky grey, you should see your healthcare provider, especially if the new poop color continues beyond a few days.
Yellow Poop Color
There are a few different possible causes of yellow poop, and the significance of yellow poop ranges widely.
Having yellow poop may simply mean that you’ve been eating yellow food items, like sweet potatoes, carrots,turmeric, or yellow food coloring. In addition, people withgastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD) and those taking medication for GERD sometimes have yellow poop.
Sudden yellow poop can also be a sign of an infection that affects the intestines, particularly if you also havediarrhea, fever, flu-like symptoms, or stomach cramps.
Some people develop yellow poop after gallbladder removal surgery (cholecystectomy). This is because there is a larger amount of bile moving directly into your intestines, resulting in watery diarrhea that is often yellow.
In some cases, yellow poop can also mean you have excess fat in your stool.
Yellow Poop in Babies
Green Poop Color
There are some common reasons for agreen poop color. Eating lots of leafy vegetables like kale or spinach can cause a greenish poop color.But this is normal, and it shouldn’t stop you from getting your fill of these antioxidant-rich foods. Iron supplements and food coloring, including green, purple, and blue dye, can also turn feces an emerald color.
Conditions that speed up intestinal activity, such as pregnancy, a bowel disorder, or food poisoning, can also lead to a green poop color orgreen diarrhea.
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Bright Red Poop Color
Blood in the stooldoesn’t always look obvious. Blood may be also present but not visible—this is known as “occult” blood. Thefecal occult blood testis a common test used to detect hidden blood in the stool.
Why Do I Have Blood in My Stool?
Black or Dark Poop Color
Certain foods, supplements, and medications can temporarily cause ablack poop color, such as:
Stool can also appear darker with constipation. Dark green stool from bile that hasn’t had time to break down may appear to have a black poop color in certain lighting.
A poop color that is almost black, dark, or tar-like with a thick consistency may mean there is bleeding in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract.Medical conditions that can cause dark, tar-like stool include:
If your poop color is black and it is not from food or supplements, you should see your healthcare provider as soon as possible.
What Are the Different Types of Poop?
Occasional changes in your poop’s consistency are also normal and usually result from the nutritional content in your food. However, if the change in consistency persists after a few bowel movements, it’s best to contact your health provider for an evaluation.
These changes can include:
When to See Your Healthcare Provider
It’s normal for bowel movements to vary from day to day depending on what you eat and drink, and most changes aren’t a cause for worry. Your poop color should generally be some shade of brown.
Stools should leave the body with little straining or discomfort, have a toothpaste-like consistency, and look more like a banana than a pencil.
Summary
A number of factors could be causing variations in theappearance of your stool. Some factors, such as your daily eating and drinking habits, are less concerning than others.
However, keep in mind that seemingly harmless changes in your poop’s color, shape, or consistency, like stool that is pencil-thin, can actually be a sign of an underlying medical condition.
Consult your healthcare provider if you’re concerned about your stool, or if you notice any changes in your bowel habits or additional symptoms.
Why Can’t I Poop? 11 Constipation Causes and What to Do
17 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Al-Toma A, Volta U, Auricchio R, et al.European Society for the Study of Coeliac Disease (ESSCD) guideline for coeliac disease and other gluten‐related disorders.United European Gastroenterol j. 2019;7(5):583-613. doi:10.1177/2050640619844125National Institute of Health Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Lower GI series.Mount Sinai.Stools - pale or clay-colored.Wang X, Zhou Y, Jiang N, Zhou Q, Ma WL.Persistence of intestinal SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with COVID-19 leads to re-admission after pneumonia resolved.Int J Infect Dis. 2020;95(1):433-435. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2020.04.063Canadian Society of Intestinal Research.The scoop on poop.Xu Y, Jing H, Wang J, et al.Disordered gut microbiota correlates with altered fecal bile acid metabolism and post cholecystectomy diarrhea.Front Microbiol. 2022;1(1):1-13. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2022.800604Seattle Children’s.Diarrhea.Rossi M.Love Your Gut: Supercharge Your Digestive Health and Transform Your Well-Being from the Inside Out. 2021.Seattle Children’s.Stools - unusual color.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GI bleeding.Kim BS, Li BT, Engel A, et al.Diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding: A practical guide for clinicians.World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. 2014;5(4):467-78. doi:10.4291/wjgp.v5.i4.467Rao SS, Lee YY.Approach to the patient with gas and bloating. In: Podolsky DK, Camilleri M, Fitz JG, Kalloo AN, Shanahan F, Wang TC, eds.Yamada’s Textbook of Gastroenterology. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd; 2015:723-34. doi:10.1002/9781118512074.ch40Casias A, Newton L.Functional constipation: A case report.J Pediatr Health Care. 2021;35(1):99-103. doi:10.1016/j.pedhc.2020.07.014U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Interactive nutrition facts label.Panda H, Andrews CN.Constipation in a 40-year-old woman.CMAJ. 2016;188(4):277-278. doi:10.1503/cmaj.150761Harvard Health Publishing.Is something in your diet causing diarrhea?Oude munnink BB, Van der hoek L.Viruses causing gastroenteritis: The known, the new and those beyond.Viruses. 2016;8(2):1-10. doi:10.3390/v8020042
17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Al-Toma A, Volta U, Auricchio R, et al.European Society for the Study of Coeliac Disease (ESSCD) guideline for coeliac disease and other gluten‐related disorders.United European Gastroenterol j. 2019;7(5):583-613. doi:10.1177/2050640619844125National Institute of Health Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Lower GI series.Mount Sinai.Stools - pale or clay-colored.Wang X, Zhou Y, Jiang N, Zhou Q, Ma WL.Persistence of intestinal SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with COVID-19 leads to re-admission after pneumonia resolved.Int J Infect Dis. 2020;95(1):433-435. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2020.04.063Canadian Society of Intestinal Research.The scoop on poop.Xu Y, Jing H, Wang J, et al.Disordered gut microbiota correlates with altered fecal bile acid metabolism and post cholecystectomy diarrhea.Front Microbiol. 2022;1(1):1-13. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2022.800604Seattle Children’s.Diarrhea.Rossi M.Love Your Gut: Supercharge Your Digestive Health and Transform Your Well-Being from the Inside Out. 2021.Seattle Children’s.Stools - unusual color.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GI bleeding.Kim BS, Li BT, Engel A, et al.Diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding: A practical guide for clinicians.World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. 2014;5(4):467-78. doi:10.4291/wjgp.v5.i4.467Rao SS, Lee YY.Approach to the patient with gas and bloating. In: Podolsky DK, Camilleri M, Fitz JG, Kalloo AN, Shanahan F, Wang TC, eds.Yamada’s Textbook of Gastroenterology. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd; 2015:723-34. doi:10.1002/9781118512074.ch40Casias A, Newton L.Functional constipation: A case report.J Pediatr Health Care. 2021;35(1):99-103. doi:10.1016/j.pedhc.2020.07.014U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Interactive nutrition facts label.Panda H, Andrews CN.Constipation in a 40-year-old woman.CMAJ. 2016;188(4):277-278. doi:10.1503/cmaj.150761Harvard Health Publishing.Is something in your diet causing diarrhea?Oude munnink BB, Van der hoek L.Viruses causing gastroenteritis: The known, the new and those beyond.Viruses. 2016;8(2):1-10. doi:10.3390/v8020042
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Al-Toma A, Volta U, Auricchio R, et al.European Society for the Study of Coeliac Disease (ESSCD) guideline for coeliac disease and other gluten‐related disorders.United European Gastroenterol j. 2019;7(5):583-613. doi:10.1177/2050640619844125National Institute of Health Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Lower GI series.Mount Sinai.Stools - pale or clay-colored.Wang X, Zhou Y, Jiang N, Zhou Q, Ma WL.Persistence of intestinal SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with COVID-19 leads to re-admission after pneumonia resolved.Int J Infect Dis. 2020;95(1):433-435. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2020.04.063Canadian Society of Intestinal Research.The scoop on poop.Xu Y, Jing H, Wang J, et al.Disordered gut microbiota correlates with altered fecal bile acid metabolism and post cholecystectomy diarrhea.Front Microbiol. 2022;1(1):1-13. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2022.800604Seattle Children’s.Diarrhea.Rossi M.Love Your Gut: Supercharge Your Digestive Health and Transform Your Well-Being from the Inside Out. 2021.Seattle Children’s.Stools - unusual color.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GI bleeding.Kim BS, Li BT, Engel A, et al.Diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding: A practical guide for clinicians.World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. 2014;5(4):467-78. doi:10.4291/wjgp.v5.i4.467Rao SS, Lee YY.Approach to the patient with gas and bloating. In: Podolsky DK, Camilleri M, Fitz JG, Kalloo AN, Shanahan F, Wang TC, eds.Yamada’s Textbook of Gastroenterology. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd; 2015:723-34. doi:10.1002/9781118512074.ch40Casias A, Newton L.Functional constipation: A case report.J Pediatr Health Care. 2021;35(1):99-103. doi:10.1016/j.pedhc.2020.07.014U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Interactive nutrition facts label.Panda H, Andrews CN.Constipation in a 40-year-old woman.CMAJ. 2016;188(4):277-278. doi:10.1503/cmaj.150761Harvard Health Publishing.Is something in your diet causing diarrhea?Oude munnink BB, Van der hoek L.Viruses causing gastroenteritis: The known, the new and those beyond.Viruses. 2016;8(2):1-10. doi:10.3390/v8020042
Al-Toma A, Volta U, Auricchio R, et al.European Society for the Study of Coeliac Disease (ESSCD) guideline for coeliac disease and other gluten‐related disorders.United European Gastroenterol j. 2019;7(5):583-613. doi:10.1177/2050640619844125
National Institute of Health Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Lower GI series.
Mount Sinai.Stools - pale or clay-colored.
Wang X, Zhou Y, Jiang N, Zhou Q, Ma WL.Persistence of intestinal SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with COVID-19 leads to re-admission after pneumonia resolved.Int J Infect Dis. 2020;95(1):433-435. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2020.04.063
Canadian Society of Intestinal Research.The scoop on poop.
Xu Y, Jing H, Wang J, et al.Disordered gut microbiota correlates with altered fecal bile acid metabolism and post cholecystectomy diarrhea.Front Microbiol. 2022;1(1):1-13. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2022.800604
Seattle Children’s.Diarrhea.
Rossi M.Love Your Gut: Supercharge Your Digestive Health and Transform Your Well-Being from the Inside Out. 2021.
Seattle Children’s.Stools - unusual color.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GI bleeding.
Kim BS, Li BT, Engel A, et al.Diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding: A practical guide for clinicians.World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. 2014;5(4):467-78. doi:10.4291/wjgp.v5.i4.467
Rao SS, Lee YY.Approach to the patient with gas and bloating. In: Podolsky DK, Camilleri M, Fitz JG, Kalloo AN, Shanahan F, Wang TC, eds.Yamada’s Textbook of Gastroenterology. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd; 2015:723-34. doi:10.1002/9781118512074.ch40
Casias A, Newton L.Functional constipation: A case report.J Pediatr Health Care. 2021;35(1):99-103. doi:10.1016/j.pedhc.2020.07.014
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Interactive nutrition facts label.
Panda H, Andrews CN.Constipation in a 40-year-old woman.CMAJ. 2016;188(4):277-278. doi:10.1503/cmaj.150761
Harvard Health Publishing.Is something in your diet causing diarrhea?
Oude munnink BB, Van der hoek L.Viruses causing gastroenteritis: The known, the new and those beyond.Viruses. 2016;8(2):1-10. doi:10.3390/v8020042
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