Stool color can vary greatly. It can span a range of hues from the usual brown color to green, yellow, white, or even black. However, we are focusing on what it means if your poop is green. Most often, green stool is nothing to worry about. In many cases, it’s related to what you ate, but certain health conditions can also affect the color of your stool.
Diet-Related Reasons for Green Stool
One of the most common reasons for green stool is diet. Foods that are rich in chlorophyll can lead to green stools. Chlorophyll is a green pigment plants use to photosynthesize. Some types of foods high in chlorophyll that might be responsible are leafy greens, like spinach or kale, or even foods with green coloring in them.
Iron-rich foods can also make your stool green. This includes iron supplements or iron-rich foods such as spinach, peas, and broccoli, among others. Too much iron can turn your stools green as your body might not be able to absorb all of the iron.
Speed of Digestion
The digestive process significantly affects the color of our stools. Normally, food goes through a digestive process that includes the liver releasing bile, a greenish-yellow fluid that aids in the digestion and absorption of fats within the small intestine. If the food moves too quickly through the digestive system, the bile doesn’t have a chance to break down completely, contributing to green poop.
Medical Conditions Can Cause Green Stool
There are also medical conditions that can cause your stool to be green. For example, diarrhea can cause food to move rapidly through the digestive tract. Other disorders that can affect the digestive process such as Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) could also potentially turn stool green.
Some bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections can also lead to green stool. One of the most common of these is the bacteria Salmonella.
Medication and Supplements
Lastly, certain medicines or supplements can affect stool color. For example, antibiotics can cause green stools. This happens because antibiotics can kill off some of the good bacteria in your gut that are essential for normal digestion, and that, in turn, may affect the color of your stool.
Despite being unusual, green poop is usually not a cause for concern. However, if this condition persists for a longer period of time, or if it is accompanied by other symptoms such as abdominal pain, weight loss, or fatigue, it is highly recommended to seek medical attention to rule out any serious underlying conditions.