Some people do not like to discuss poop, especially at the dinner table. We are all about it, folks, no matter the time or place. Your poop can inform you about what’s going on inside your body, so it can be useful to learn what different colors mean. Generally speaking, poop is light to dark brown, but it does come in different colors. It’s possible to see bowel movements that are yellow, green, black, orange, and white.
It is not unusual to see different colors in your stool, according to gastroenterologists. Different colors usually result from what you eat, such as vibrantly colored produce or foods that contain dyes. Although different colors can be normal, frequently colorful poop may indicate a severe health condition. Tan-colored poop, for example, can indicate a liver, gallbladder, or pancreas problem. Continue reading to learn more about stool colors and what they mean.
What Is Normal Stool?
Typically, stool is dark or light brown, but health experts consider all shades of brown as normal stool color. It is not uncommon for stool to change color, especially if you eat a lot of green vegetables, beets, or carrots. If your poop turns color because of a health condition, though, you have to address the underlying cause. Adjusting your diet may be a great place to start.
The Meaning Of Poop Color
We may not have the answer to the meaning of life, but we can help with the color of your poop. Color changes are often due to the foods you eat, but brown is usually the norm. Brown is associated with the natural breakdown of bile in the gastrointestinal tract. The liver secretes bile and assists the body with the breakdown of fat. If your poop isn’t brown or green, you may want to take a closer look as to why that is. If you notice a change in color or consistency, or you are worried about a color with accompanying symptoms, reach out to your healthcare provider.
Orange Poop
There are a few causes of orange stool, the most common of which include:
- Diet: Eating a lot of foods with beta-carotene can color your stool orange. Beta-carotene is a carotenoid that gives orange food its color. Carrots, pumpkins, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash contain lots of beta-carotene. Orange soda and candy can also cause orange stool.
- Medications: Antacids and antibiotics that contain aluminum hydroxide can cause stool to turn orange in color.
- Liver health: If your liver doesn’t produce enough bile, you may excrete orange poop. That said, liver problems usually cause white or tan-colored stool.
Green Poop:
Green-colored stool may have to do with your diet, or how quickly food moves through your digestive tract. Some possible causes may include:
- Dumping syndrome: This is characterized by food moving too quickly from the stomach to the small intestine. This is very common after stomach or esophageal surgery. Gut motility may also be the problem because food is passing through the digestive tract too quickly for bile to turn stool brown.
- Diet: Green stool may very well be from eating a lot of leafy green vegetables or a dish with green dye. You may even see bits of some vegetable roughage in your stool, such as kale.
Yellow Poop
Yellow stool, or mustard-colored stool, is very common and normal in infants, especially breastfed infants. Adults can notice yellow stool in certain instances, though, such as:
- Diet: Just as with every other color mentioned so far, certain foods can color your stool yellow. Foods that are high in fat may also cause stool to appear pale yellow.
- Giardiasis: This is a parasitic infection caused by Giardia lamblia, which is typically contracted after consuming contaminated water. This parasite also exists in stool or soil. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain, fever, headache, and vomiting.
- Celiac disease: This autoimmune disorder, which is triggered by gluten, damages the small intestine. Stool can appear yellow, oily, and greasy on occasion. Following a gluten-free diet is usually the best plan of action to help restore stool to normal color.
Black Poop
Black-colored stool in babies can be a sign of eating too many foods like blueberries. It can also indicate a more serious health problem and may require medical attention if stool is tar-like. Possible causes include:
- Diet: Eating too many blueberries, lots of blood sausage, or black licorice may turn stool black, but the consistency will remain the same.
- Bleeding: Black-colored stool can indicate bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract, including the stomach or beginning of the small intestine. Blood in that area can also give stool a tar-like consistency, which may stem from ulcers, sores, or tumors.
- Supplements: Activated charcoal, iron supplements, and even Pepto-Bismol can cause black stool, on occasion.
Red Poop
Some foods, such as beets or red gelatin can cause reddish poop. A bright red color, however, typically indicates bleeding in the lower part of the digestive tract. Health conditions that may cause gastrointestinal bleeding include:
- Proctitis
- Anal fissure
- Diverticular disease
- Hemorrhoids
- Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), such as Crohn’s disease
- Cancer
- Infection
White Or Tan Poop
Tan poop is usually caused by a problem with the biliary system, which includes the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. The liver produces bile, which is a yellowish-brown substance that is stored in the gallbladder. When bile is released into the stomach, it helps break down fats from various foods you eat. Bilirubin, a compound in bile, gives stool the signature brown color. A lack of bile, and ultimately a lack of bilirubin, can result in stool that is tan or white. Several healthy conditions can also reduce the amount of bile, such as:
