What Should Poop Look Like?
The fascinating diversity of poop shapes, sizes, smells and colors and what they say about your health
Even when everything comes out OK, poop exhibits an engrossing variety of shapes, sizes, textures, aromas and colors. I mean, you don’t even want to know what’s in there. Dead bacteria. Expired red blood cells. Mucus and bile. Undigested corn. You name it.
But your business, along with its frequency, can hint at health issues, too, some that have easy fixes and others that are more serious. Here’s some no-nonsense toilet reading to take with on your next BM.
Shape and texture
While your excretions may never look exactly like any of these examples, the Bristol Stool Chart is commonly employed to sort through scatological morphology:
If you consistently produce hard lumps or those distasteful lumpy sausages (types 1 and 2) or if you find it painful to go, you might alleviate your constipation with more water or more fiber (fruits, vegetables and whole grains), says Christine Lee, MD, a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Other causes can include certain medications or lack of physical activity.
Mushy or runny poo (types 6 or 7) could signal a short-term digestive issue or even mental…
