Poop Colour What They Mean
Stool colour chart to decode stool health. Learn what brown, green, black, red, yellow, or pale stool may mean, and when digestive symptoms need care.
Written by Dr. Rohinipriyanka Pondugula
Reviewed by Dr. J T Hema Pratima MBBS
Last updated on 10th Dec, 2025
Introduction
It might not be dinner-table talk, but paying attention to stool colour can tell you a lot about your health. A simple stool colour chart can help you understand what’s normal, what’s food-related, and what might signal a problem. Learning the basics of stool health can also help you spot digestive symptoms that deserve a call to your doctor.
Stool Colour Chart: A Quick Guide
Use this quick look as a starting point. Food, supplements, and medicines commonly affect colour. Persistent changes, severe symptoms, or signs of bleeding need medical care.
- Brown: Normal. Bile and bacteria give stool its brown colour.
- Green: Often from green foods, food dyes, or rapid transit through the gut. Usually harmless if brief.
- Yellow, greasy, or foul-smelling: May suggest fat malabsorption. If persistent, see a clinician.
- Pale, clay-coloured, or white: Possible lack of bile flow (e.g., bile duct obstruction) or after certain imaging tests with
barium. Needs prompt evaluation if not explained by a recent test. - Black, tarry (sticky, shiny): Possible bleeding from the upper digestive tract. Urgent medical care is needed.
- Bright red or maroon: Often from haemorrhoids or anal fissures, but can also signal lower GI bleeding. Seek care,
especially if heavy, persistent, or with other symptoms. - Orange: Often due to foods rich in beta-carotene or some medications. Usually harmless if short-lived.
Consult a Top Gastroenterologist
What Gives Stool Its Colour?
Bile, a fluid made by your liver and stored in your gallbladder, starts out yellow-green. As it travels through your
intestines and is broken down by bacteria and enzymes, it changes to brown, that’s why brown is the usual colour. The
speed of digestion (transit time), what you eat and drink, and any bleeding or bile flow problems can shift the colour.
Medications, vitamins, and supplements can also play a role.
Colour-By-Colour: What Different Stool Colours May Mean
Here are the different types of stool colour:
1. Brown stool
- What it usually means: Healthy, typical stool colour due to bile and normal bacterial action in the gut.
- When to act: No action needed if you feel well.
2. Green stool
- Common causes: Leafy greens, green powders, iron supplements, food dyes, or antibiotics altering gut bacteria. Faster
transit time (e.g., diarrhoea) can also keep bile from turning brown. - When to act: If you also have persistent diarrhoea, fever, or dehydration, or the green colour lasts more than a few days without an obvious cause, check in with a clinician.
3. Yellow stool (especially greasy, foul-smelling, or floating)
- Common causes: Malabsorption of fat (steatorrhea), which can happen with coeliac disease or problems with the
pancreas or bile flow. Sometimes seen with infections that cause rapid transit. - When to act: If yellow, greasy stools continue, especially with weight loss, abdominal pain, or nutrient deficiencies, see
a healthcare professional.
4. Pale, clay-coloured, or white stool
- Common causes: Decreased bile in stool due to liver, gallbladder, or bile duct issues (e.g., obstruction, hepatitis).
Temporary white stools can occur after a barium swallow/enema used in imaging tests. - When to act: If not explained by a recent medical test, contact a clinician promptly. Pale or clay-coloured stool can signal a blockage or other serious liver/biliary conditions.
5. Black stool (tarry, sticky, with a strong odor)
- Common causes: Bleeding from the upper digestive tract (e.g., stomach ulcer, gastritis). Iron supplements and bismuth subsalicylate (e.g., some anti-diarrhoeal medicines) can also make stool look black, but typically without the tarry texture.
- When to act: If stool is black and tarry, seek urgent medical care. If you take iron or bismuth and see black stools, but you also have dizziness, weakness, abdominal pain, or vomiting, get medical help to rule out bleeding.
6. Bright red or maroon stool
- Common causes: Haemorrhoids, anal fissures, lower intestinal bleeding, or foods like beets. Blood on toilet paper or
streaking on the stool suggests a lower source (e.g., haemorrhoids). - When to act: Seek medical care, especially if bleeding is heavy, persistent, or accompanied by pain or weakness, or if
you see clots. Any unexplained blood in stool deserves evaluation.
7. Orange stool
- Common causes: Foods high in beta-carotene (carrots, sweet potatoes), some supplements, and certain medications.
- When to act: Usually harmless if brief. If it persists or comes with other symptoms, consult a clinician.
Other Stool Features That Matter
Colour isn’t the whole story. Stool health also includes:
- Consistency: Watery diarrhoea can cause dehydration; very hard, pellet-like stool suggests constipation.
- Shape: Occasional thin stools can happen with constipation or spasms. Persistently pencil-thin stools warrant
evaluation. - Frequency: “Normal” ranges from three times a day to three times a week. What matters most is your usual pattern
and how you feel. - Odour: Strong odour is common with infections or malabsorption; very foul-smelling, greasy stools that float may
suggest fat malabsorption. - Mucus: A small amount can be normal. Frequent mucus or pus may point to inflammation or infection.
Food, Supplements, and Medicines That Can Change Stool Colour
Here are some of the food, supplements and medicines that can change the stool colour:
- Foods and dyes: Beets (red), blueberries (dark), leafy greens (green), carrots and sweet potatoes (orange), and food
colourings (various). - Vitamins and supplements: Iron (black or green), multivitamins with colourants.
- Medicines: Bismuth subsalicylate (black), some antibiotics (green), and medications that affect bile flow can indirectly
change colour.
Digestive Symptoms That Need Attention
Any stool colour change combined with concerning digestive symptoms should prompt medical advice. Call a
healthcare professional if you have:
- Severe or persistent abdominal pain
- Fever, vomiting, or signs of dehydration (dry mouth, dizziness, very dark urine)
- Ongoing diarrhoea (especially with blood or mucus)
- Unexplained weight loss or fatigue
- A stool colour change that lasts more than a few days without a clear cause
- Blood in stool, black tarry stools, or maroon stools
Special notes for infants and children
- Newborns pass meconium, dark green-black, sticky stools, in the first days of life; this is normal.
- Bright green stools are common with formula or rapid transit and often resolve.
- Red, white/pale, or black tarry or persistent yellow greasy stools in children should be discussed with a paediatrician.
How to Support Better Stool Health?
Simple, steady habits can keep your digestion on track and help normalise stool colour and consistency.
- Hydrate: Aim for enough fluids so your urine is pale yellow.
- Get fibre: Include a mix of soluble and insoluble fibre from fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
Increase gradually with adequate fluids to avoid gas and cramping. - Move your body: Regular physical activity supports gut motility.
- Choose balanced meals: Add lean proteins and healthy fats; limit ultra-processed foods and excess alcohol.
- Track changes: If a new stool colour concerns you, note recent foods, supplements, and medications. Bring this info to
your appointment. - Review supplements/meds: Iron and bismuth can darken stools; discuss any unexpected changes with your clinician.
- Keep up with screening: Most adults should begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45, earlier if you have a higher
risk. Ask your clinician about the best test for you.
When to Seek Urgent Care?
Go to urgent care or the emergency department if you have:
- Black, tarry stools or bright red/maroon blood with dizziness, fainting, racing heart, or severe weakness
- Severe abdominal pain with vomiting
- Signs of significant dehydration
- Blood clots in stool or continuous bleeding
Your clinician may recommend:
- Stool tests for hidden blood, infection, or inflammation
- Blood tests for anemia or liver/pancreas issues
- Imaging or endoscopy if bleeding or blockage is suspected
Remember: One odd-coloured bowel movement is common and often related to what you ate. Persistent changes, new pain, or bleeding deserve timely medical advice.
Conclusion
Changes in stool colour can be harmless, but they can also signal important changes in your digestive or overall health, so it is worth paying attention to them. While diet and medicines often explain short‑term colour shifts, persistent, very dark, black, red, very pale, yellow or grey stools should never be ignored and warrant advice from a healthcare professional. If you notice ongoing changes in colour, consistency, or the presence of blood, especially alongside pain, weight loss, or fatigue, seek medical review promptly rather than waiting to see if things settle on their own.
Consult a Top Gastroenterologist
Consult a Top Gastroenterologist
Dr Bhargav Vuppumalla
General Physician/ Internal Medicine Specialist
5 Years • MBBS MD GENERAL MEDICINE
Bengaluru
Apollo Medical Center, Marathahalli, Bengaluru
Dr Harish K C
Gastroenterology/gi Medicine Specialist
15 Years • MBBS MD DM MRCP(UK) (SCE-Gastroenterology and Hepatology)
Bangalore
Manipal Hospital, Bangalore
Dr. Paramesh K N
Gastroenterology/gi Medicine Specialist
16 Years • MBBS, MS ( General Surgery), DNB ( Surgical Gastroenterology)
Hyderabad
Sprint Diagnostics Centre, Hyderabad
Dr. Shivaraj Afzalpurkar
Gastroenterology/gi Medicine Specialist
13 Years • MBBS, MD General medicine (Gold medalist), DrNB (Gastroenterology), MNAMS
Bengaluru
Apollo Clinic, JP nagar, Bengaluru
Dr. Ankit Vijay Agarwal
Gastroenterology/gi Medicine Specialist
14 Years • MBBS(Osmania), DNB(Internal Medicine ), DM ( Osmania) Consultant Gastroenterologist, Hepatologist and Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopist
Hyderabad
Apollo Hospitals Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad
Consult a Top Gastroenterologist
Dr Bhargav Vuppumalla
General Physician/ Internal Medicine Specialist
5 Years • MBBS MD GENERAL MEDICINE
Bengaluru
Apollo Medical Center, Marathahalli, Bengaluru
Dr Harish K C
Gastroenterology/gi Medicine Specialist
15 Years • MBBS MD DM MRCP(UK) (SCE-Gastroenterology and Hepatology)
Bangalore
Manipal Hospital, Bangalore
Dr. Paramesh K N
Gastroenterology/gi Medicine Specialist
16 Years • MBBS, MS ( General Surgery), DNB ( Surgical Gastroenterology)
Hyderabad
Sprint Diagnostics Centre, Hyderabad
Dr. Shivaraj Afzalpurkar
Gastroenterology/gi Medicine Specialist
13 Years • MBBS, MD General medicine (Gold medalist), DrNB (Gastroenterology), MNAMS
Bengaluru
Apollo Clinic, JP nagar, Bengaluru
Dr. Ankit Vijay Agarwal
Gastroenterology/gi Medicine Specialist
14 Years • MBBS(Osmania), DNB(Internal Medicine ), DM ( Osmania) Consultant Gastroenterologist, Hepatologist and Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopist
Hyderabad
Apollo Hospitals Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What colour should healthy stool be?
Usually medium to dark brown. That comes from bile pigments broken down by bacteria as food moves through your gut.
2. Why is my stool green?
Green foods, food colouring, iron supplements, or faster transit through your intestines can make stool look green. If it lasts more than a few days with no clear cause, or you also have diarrhoea, pain, or fever, check with a clinician.
3. Is black stool always an emergency?
Black, tarry, sticky stools with a strong odor can mean bleeding in the upper digestive tract and is an emergency. Iron or bismuth can also darken stool, usually without the tarry texture. If you’re unsure, seek care.
4. What does yellow, greasy stool mean?
It can suggest that your body isn’t absorbing fat well (steatorrhea). If it persists, especially with weight loss, abdominal pain, or fatigue, see a healthcare professional.
5. Can foods or vitamins really change stool colour?
Yes. Beets can make stool red, leafy greens can make it green, beta-carotene–rich foods can make it orange, and iron can make it dark or green. If colour changes persist or you notice other symptoms, get medical advice.