Know Poop Types and What They Say About Your Health

How regular should I move my bowel?

There is really no definite number of bowel movements considered normal as each person has different daily activities, diet, metabolism capabilities and other factors. However, experts advised that an average of three or more bowel movements per week should be the minimum number of times one should go poop. Furthermore, a regular bowel movement, such as once to twice per day or once every two days, is also healthy, as long as there is no pain felt in the abdomen and passing poop is not difficult.

What does a normal poop look like?

A healthy poop should be passed as one long “S” shaped that is connected. If the poop is broken down into smaller pieces, this is also normal as long as it remains smooth and not hard to pass. Poop color should range from medium to dark brown normally. An unpleasant smell indicates that toxins in your body are working well to help your food digest.

If any of these details changes, such as the consistency of pooping, the color or the smell, it would be good to consult your physician.

How long should it take for me to pass my poop?

Healthy pooping does not take a long time or require too much pushing. Healthy poop should just pass easily and smoothly, does not break into little pieces and does not cause pain.

Pebble poop

• What it looks like: Pebble poop or particulate stool looks like small pellets that are hard to pass.

• Is it normal: No

• What it means: This may mean a lack of fiber to aid digestion and can be a sign of constipation.

Cobbled poop

• What it looks like: Cobbled poop looks like cobbled stones that have uneven surfaces, some hard and some soft.

• Is it normal: No

• What it means: Cobbled poop may mean some of the poop have been sat in the colon for too long and have become dry. This can mean that the colon has a slow process in eliminating the poop from the body.

Mushy poop

• What it looks like: Mushy poop is a thin line between diarrhea and normal poop. It is as its name suggests – “mushy”. One may also have more than one bowel movement per day.

• Is it normal: No

• What it means: This type of poop is common for people with colon or bowel issues such as celiac disease and lactose intolerance.

Blood poop

• What it looks like: This can either be passed as a black stool or red blood in the stool.

• Is it normal: No

• What it means: Black stool means the bleed is caused upstream somewhere around the intestines or stomach. Red blood in stool means the bleeding is somewhere downstream that may be caused by haemorrhoids. Either way, this should be talked with your physician immediately.

Thin poop

• What it looks like: Thin, narrow and almost pencil-like stool that is easy to pass.

• Is it normal: No

• What it means: Thin poop means lack of fiber in your diet and lack of relaxation of the anal sphincter. If your poop continues to be thin, talk to your doctor.

Floater poop

• What it looks like: Poop floats in the toilet bowl.

• Is it normal: Yes

• What it means: As long as it is not a regular occurrence, floater poop is basically normal and means there is gas in the poop.

Green poop

• What it looks like: Green-colored poop

• Is it normal: Yes and No

• What it means: Yes, it is normal if you ate green leafy vegetables or food with green coloring. No, it is not normal if it becomes a regular occurrence as it may indicate an infection.

Corn poop

• What it looks like: Seeing bits of undigested food in your poop

• Is it normal: Yes

• What it means: Corn, seeds and other insoluble fiber cannot be digested by the stomach and so they come out as they come in.

Diarrhea

• What it looks like: Loose and watery poop

• Is it normal: No

• What it means: This may be a sign of food poisoning or the stomach flu. However, diarrhea is quite a common ailment and has many effective home remedies.

Extra-long poop

• What it looks like: Big, long, large and massive

• Is it normal: Yes

• What it means: This just means you have high fiber and water in your diet, and your digestion is well functioning.

Painful poop

• What it looks like: Painful, hard to pass and involves lots of pushing

• Is it normal: No

• What it means: This can either be caused by constipation or gas.

Pale poop

• What it looks like: Poop that is pale, tan or whitish

• Is it normal: No

• What it means: This may indicate that the bile which is what gives the poop the brown color is not draining properly.

Although it may seem like an uncomfortable topic to discuss, knowing types of poop can actually tell you a lot about your health. Don’t hesitate to discuss with your physician if your poop falls on the “not normal” type.