Stool Color Chart
The Stool Color Chart is a reference tool covering stool color chart, poop color meaning, black stool causes, green poop meaning. Use the chart below to look up values instantly. Printable and downloadable versions are available on this page.
Stool Color Checker
Select a colour from the palette, get likely causes (dietary or medical), urgency level, and related conditions.
Stool Color Chart — Complete Reference
| Stool Colour | Most Likely Dietary or Non-Medical Cause | Possible Medical Cause | Urgency Level | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown — all shades from tan to dark | Normal bile pigment breakdown in the digestive tract | None — this is the normal and expected colour | Normal | No action needed |
| Black or very dark tarry | Iron supplements, bismuth products (Pepto-Bismol), liquorice, red wine, dark beer | Upper GI bleed — stomach ulcer, oesophageal varix, or gastric cancer (tarry texture is the key sign) | Urgent if unexplained | See doctor same day if not explained by known medication or food. Tarry texture (sticky and foul-smelling) distinguishes GI bleed from dietary black stool. |
| Bright red | Beets, tomatoes, red food dye, cranberry juice | Haemorrhoids, anal fissure, diverticular bleed, colorectal polyp or cancer | See doctor if recurrent or unexplained | Single episode after beet consumption is not concerning. Recurrent unexplained bright red stool warrants colonoscopy evaluation. |
| Maroon or dark red | Large servings of beets or berries | Bleeding from the colon or lower small intestine | See doctor promptly if not dietary | Maroon colour mixed throughout the stool (not just on the surface) suggests a higher source of bleeding. |
| Green | Leafy greens (spinach, kale), green food dye, iron supplements | Rapid transit — food moved through too quickly for bile to fully break down. Giardia infection. | Monitor if dietary cause is clear | Persistent green stool without dietary explanation warrants a stool test for infection. |
| Yellow, pale, or greasy | High-fat meal, fatty fish, fat-soluble vitamin supplements | Fat malabsorption — coeliac disease, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, bile acid malabsorption | See doctor if persistent | Greasy stools that are pale and difficult to flush are the key sign of fat malabsorption and should be investigated. |
| Clay, white, or very pale grey | Barium enema or upper GI series (temporary effect of barium contrast) | Bile duct obstruction from gallstone or tumour, hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis | Emergency — seek same-day medical care | This is always a red-flag symptom. Bile gives stool its brown colour — white or clay stool means bile is absent. |
| Orange | Carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, beta-carotene supplements | Partial bile duct obstruction (rare) | Monitor if dietary cause is clear | Usually harmless and dietary. Persistent unexplained orange stool without high beta-carotene intake — see a doctor. |
| Cloudy or mucus-streaked | Recent diet change, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) | Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), bacterial infection, colorectal cancer (when accompanied by blood) | See doctor if new onset or increasing | Occasional mucus is normal. Persistent mucus especially with blood or abdominal pain requires evaluation. |
Source: NHS and American Gastroenterological Association stool colour guidelines
Stool Colour Chart for Babies and Infants
Infant stool colour changes dramatically during the first days of life and continues to shift with feeding type and the introduction of solid foods.
| Colour and Stage | Normal Cause | When to Contact a Paediatrician |
|---|---|---|
| Black — newborn days 1–2 | Meconium. Normal first stool. Has a tarlike sticky consistency. | If no meconium within 48 hours of birth — possible obstruction. |
| Yellow or mustard — breastfed baby | Breastmilk digestion. Often seedy or grainy texture. Loose consistency is completely normal. | Blood in stool. White or grey colour. Failure to gain weight. |
| Tan or brown — formula-fed baby | Formula digestion. Firmer than breastfed. Usually more odorous. | Hard pellet-like stool (Type 1 Bristol scale) may indicate constipation or dehydration. |
| Green | Overabundance of foremilk in breastfed infants. Also caused by iron-fortified formula. | Persistent green stool with blood or mucus — see doctor. |
| Red or blood-streaked | Anal fissure from straining. In breastfed babies can indicate maternal blood ingested during cracked nipple breastfeeding. | Any red or blood-streaked stool warrants a paediatrician call within 24 hours. |
| White or very pale grey | No normal cause in infants. | Biliary atresia or cholestasis. This is a medical emergency — contact a doctor immediately. |
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics
When to See a Doctor Immediately
- Black tarry stool (not explained by iron supplements or bismuth) — possible upper GI bleed.
- Bright red blood in stool that is recurrent or accompanied by abdominal pain, weight loss, or fatigue.
- Yellow greasy pale stool that is difficult to flush, especially if accompanied by weight loss or abdominal pain.
- Any stool colour change that persists for more than two weeks without a clear dietary explanation.
- White or grey stool in an infant — contact a paediatrician or emergency care immediately.
Stool Color Checker
Select a colour from the palette below to get likely causes (dietary or medical), urgency level, and related conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a healthy stool colour?
Medium to dark brown is the healthy normal stool colour for adults. It results from bile pigments (bilirubin and biliverdin) breaking down as food moves through the digestive tract.
What does green stool mean?
Green stool is usually caused by eating large amounts of leafy green vegetables, green food dye, or by food moving through the colon too quickly for bile to fully convert to brown. Persistent green stool without dietary explanation may indicate a transit issue or infection.
Is bright red stool always blood?
Not necessarily — beets, tomatoes, red food dye, and cranberry juice can all cause red or pink-tinted stool. However unexplained bright red stool should be evaluated by a doctor as it can indicate haemorrhoids, an anal fissure, or in some cases colorectal bleeding.
What does black tarry stool mean?
Black tarry stool (melaena) has a distinctive sticky texture and foul smell that differs from stool darkened by iron supplements or liquorice. It indicates digested blood from the upper gastrointestinal tract and requires same-day medical evaluation.
Why is my stool pale or clay-coloured?
Pale or clay-coloured stool indicates that bile is absent from the digestive tract. Bile gives stool its brown colour — its absence suggests a bile duct obstruction, hepatitis, or liver disease and requires immediate medical attention.
Can diet change stool colour?
Yes — many foods directly affect stool colour including beets (pink to red), carrots (orange), leafy greens (green), and liquorice or iron supplements (dark brown to black). These changes are temporary and harmless.
Is yellow stool dangerous?
Occasionally yellow stool after a high-fat meal is not concerning. Persistent yellow or greasy pale stool that is difficult to flush can indicate fat malabsorption from coeliac disease, pancreatic insufficiency, or bile acid issues and should be evaluated by a doctor.
What causes white stool?
White or clay-coloured stool means bile is absent from the digestive process. This is a red-flag symptom that can indicate bile duct obstruction from a gallstone or tumour, hepatitis, or liver failure — always seek same-day medical attention.