How to tell if your poop is normal  

Some call it poop. Others call it stool, feces, excrement, bowel movements, or BMs. Whatever term you prefer, it refers to the waste your body gets rid of once it absorbs the nutrients from the foods you eat. Your diet — and your digestive system — are what determine the end result. 

You’re the only one who knows what your poop looks like from one day to the next. You’re also the one who knows the frequency of your bowel movements. When either of these seem off, it’s important to pay attention.  

What to look for in healthy poop 

Here’s an overview of what you should expect from your poop. 

Healthy poop is typically brown 

The color of your poop is important, and it’s an easy way to spot a potential problem. Typically, poop is brown, but it doesn’t start that way.  

The color of poop depends on bile, a fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder (located under the liver). When you eat a meal, the bile flows into your small intestine. There, this yellowish-greenish fluid helps to digest fats from the food you’ve eaten. It’s in the intestines that bile mixes with other substances to change the waste from what you’ve eaten to a brownish hue. 

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If you notice a change in the color of your poop, first think about what you’ve eaten recently. If you’ve eaten foods made with food coloring or dark fruits (like blueberries or cherries), you could see a change in your poop’s color (say, from brown to green). This usually isn’t a cause for concern. 

But sometimes there are color changes that are worth a discussion with your health care provider. 

• Black or red: This could indicate bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. Taking iron supplements or antidiarrheal medications like bismuth subsalicylate may also make your stools black. 
• Yellow: This could mean there’s excess fat in your stool, caused by a malabsorption issue such as celiac disease. Celiac disease is a chronic digestive and immune disorder that’s caused by eating foods with gluten. (Gluten is a protein found in foods made with wheat, rye, and barley.) 
• Clay-colored or very pale: This could mean there’s a blockage in your bile duct. Very pale or white stools could also be caused by some medications, such as barium taken before certain X-rays. 

If you’ve noticed persistent changes in your stool color, talk to a health care professional to rule out anything serious. At your appointment, you can also discuss changes in your poop or bowel habits. (Schedule an in-home visit with a heath care professional to discuss all aspects of your health, including your bowel movements.) 

Healthy poop has a certain consistency 

Sure, your poop might have a different consistency occasionally because of something you’ve eaten. In most cases, poop should either be sausage-shaped with some surface cracks or smooth from end to end. Hard lumps could indicate constipation. Diarrhea is defined by liquid stools. 

If your poop frequently seems off, talk to a health care professional about what it could mean. In many cases, you’ll be asked to give a fecal sample to test. These tests can check for an infection, digestive problems, bleeding, or inflammation — say, from allergies to certain foods. 

You should poop on a regular schedule 

You should have about the same frequency of bowel movements every day or every few days. If you are pooping more or less than usual, reach out to your health care provider, who will check for conditions like: 

• A blockage of the bowels 
• Celiac disease 
• Colitis, or inflammation of the colon 
• Malabsorption (not absorbing nutrients properly from the foods you eat) 

Recommended reading: Do you know the 6 secrets for staying regular?

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Poop problems to look out for 

There are certain times when you should call your health care provider immediately:  

Blood in your stool 

If your poop is free of blood, that’s good news. If, on the other hand, you see bright red in your poop, or streaks that are dark — almost black — contact your health care provider. It could just be hemorrhoids (swollen blood vessels around your rectum that can bleed), or it could be something more serious. 

Blood in your stool can be a sign of colorectal cancer. So even a small amount of blood should be taken seriously.  

Recommended reading: 5 sneaky signs of colon cancer everyone needs to know

Stringy poop  

Chances are what you’re seeing may be the result of having eaten something stringy, such as bean sprouts. However, you should contact your doctor if this happens multiple times, or if it’s accompanied by any of the following symptoms: 

• Bloating 
• Cramping  
• Diarrhea 
• Nausea 
• Vomiting 

It could be an indication of worms in your stool. These can often look like thin, white pieces of thread. 

Mucus in your poop   

Your gastrointestinal tract is lined with mucus, so if you only see this once in a while, it’s not usually a cause for concern. It typically has a clear whitish jelly-like appearance. When you should contact your doctor: if you see mucus that’s accompanied by a change in the consistency or frequency of your poop. This could indicate an intestinal infection. 

Poop can be a good indicator of digestive — and overall — health. When you go to the bathroom, pay attention to what’s in the toilet bowl. It could be telling you more about your health than you realize. 

Recommended video: 5 screening tests you may need for better health

Sources: 
Bristol stool chart: Nursing Fundamentals  
When to worry about stool color: Mayo Clinic 
When certain poop colors are red flags, according to experts: CNN Health 
Ascariasis FAQs: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
When mucus in stool is a concern: Mayo Clinic