Brown – The Color of Poop

While the normal shades of your poop may change, generally poop is brown. It doesn’t really matter if you eat a banana, celery, a carrot, a handful of yellow potato chips, or white popcorn. When those digested foods comes out of your body in your poop, it is generally brown. Note that last sentence, “when it comes out IN your poop”. Poop is not just made of digested foods, but also contains bile, bateria from your gut, red blood cells, and more. The bile which is formed in the liver to help our bodies process fats is responsible for the brown color of poop.

Not All Poop is Brown

While brown is generally the color of poop, not all poop is brown and that’s usually okay. Color changes can be based on diet. If you eat foods which contain a lot of pigments those foods will change the color of your poop. For instance, eating a lot of leafy greens can make poop have a green tint. Eating black licorice or a pack of Ores can make your poop black. Red beats can give your poop a reddish tint, and popsicles and jello will tint your poop to match their color.

Other Factors for Poop Color

Outside of the foods you eat, color changes may also be caused by medications or may signify changes in your body. Black poop could be caused by taking Pepto Bismol or could be an indicator or blood in your poop. White poop usually indicates a lack of bile, and red poop could contain blood. According to MayoClinic.Org, “Only rarely does stool color indicate a potentially serious intestinal condition”.