It is true that looking at stool may not be pleasant but monitoring it regularly can help you know what is normal for you and what is abnormal, Because the color and texture of your stool can reveal a lot about your overall health.

What is the normal color of stool?

The normal color of stool is brown in all its shades, and it can also tend to be green, but its color may vary from time to time depending on the nature of your food. (1)


The brown color of stool comes from bile, a yellow-green substance made by the liver and stored by the gallbladder. When you eat any food that contains fat, your gallbladder secretes bile into your intestines to help digest it. As it passes through your digestive system, enzymes react with the bile, turning it from yellow green to brown, which is the normal color of your stool. It is worth noting that in the event of diarrhea, there may not be enough time for the enzymes to react with the bile, so the stool remains yellow or green. (1)


The role of foods in changing stool color

The first thing that comes to mind when you notice a strange change in the color of your stool is what you have eaten in the past 24 hours. For example, if you ate a bowl of beetroot salad last night, your stool will likely be red, while if you ate a lot of leafy green vegetables and broccoli. It is normal for your stool to be green because of the chlorophyll pigment. (2)


In general, stool color changes from time to time is usually due to the foods you have eaten, but in some cases, especially if this change continues for long periods, it may indicate a health condition. (2)


Stool color interpretation

The following table shows stool colors and their possible meanings. Remember that: Discoloration is often caused by foods, unless it persists for a long time or is accompanied by other worrying symptoms: (1)(3)



the color

Causing foods / medications

Possible medical reasons

Green

Broccoli, leafy greens, spinach, food dyes, licorice, iron supplements

Diarrhea

infection

Gallbladder disease

Colitis or Crohn's disease

Red

Beetroot, cranberries, tomato juice or soup, red food dyes

hemorrhoids

Bleeding from the rectum or intestines

Colitis or Crohn's disease

Yellow

Carrots, sweet potatoes, food dyes, gluten (baked goods or breakfast cereals)

Fat in the stool due to malabsorption

Celiac disease

infection

Problems with the liver, gallbladder, or pancreas

White or grey

Gluten, fatty foods, some diarrhea medications such as bismuth

Lack of bile (obstruction in the ducts that transport it)

Celiac disease

Problems with the liver, gallbladder, or pancreas

Black

Iron supplements, bismuth, licorice, dark chocolate, black / blue berries

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding such as stomach ulcers

Intestinal problems

cancer

Blue / purple

Cranberries, prunes, raisins, colored juices, dyes, and some radioactive drugs

Porphyria

When should you see a doctor?

See a doctor if your stool color continues to change, or if there are no specific medications or foods causing the color change, especially if the color of your stool is worrying, such as bright red, black, or gray, or if it is accompanied by other symptoms such as pain. (2)




If you’ve noticed unusual changes in the color or shape of your stool, don’t ignore it. At Al-Ahli Hospital, our expert Gastroenterology team is here to provide you with advanced diagnostic care using the latest technologies to identify and treat the root cause with precision. Your digestive health is in safe hands.




References