TL;DR — Poop is normally brown because of the bile and bilirubin that mix with digested food in your gut. Some factors like your diet, health conditions, and medications can temporarily change the color of your poop.
You probably don’t spend much time contemplating the color of your deuces unless something goes off-script. But maybe one day you stared at your turd in the toilet and wondered why it’s always brown, no matter what you eat.
There’s actually a pretty interesting science behind the shade of your bowel movements, and while it might not be the most Instagrammable fact, it’s worth getting familiar with the inner workings of your digestive tract.
Grab a seat on the couch (or the porcelain throne) and sit back while we explain everything you need to know about the color of your crap.
Why Is Poop Brown?
There are two main substances in your gut that are responsible for making your poop brown: bile and bilirubin.
Bile, which has a yellowish-green color, breaks down fats from the food you eat. Your liver cranks out about 500 to 600 milliliters of this stuff daily—enough to make a small cocktail—which is stored in your gallbladder. When you chow down on food, your gallbladder contracts, sending bile into your duodenum, the first part of your small intestine.
But the brown you see isn't just bile's doing. Enter bilirubin: a yellowish substance that forms after red blood cells break down and exit through your liver and gallbladder into your digestive tract.
Bottom line: When digested food mingles with yellowish-green bile and yellow-colored bilirubin, you end up with brown poop. Whether it leans more toward dark chocolate or a paler shade of khaki depends on the mix, but one thing's for sure—your digestive system knows how to keep things colorful.
What Is Poop Made Of?
Here's a rough percentage breakdown of what makes up that daily dose of nature's finest:
- Water: 75% – The majority of your poop is just water, which helps keep things moving smoothly.
- Undigested food and fiber: 25-30% – This includes all the stuff your body couldn’t break down, like cellulose, the indigestible fiber found in plants.
- Bacteria: 25-30% – Your gut is a bustling metropolis of bacteria, and a good chunk of your poop is made up of these guys, both dead and alive.
- Fats and organic compounds: 10-20% – These include things like cholesterol and fatty acids, byproducts of the digestion process.
- Inorganic substances: 10-20% – Think calcium, phosphates, and other minerals that your body didn’t absorb.
- Protein: 2-3% – This mainly comes from the cells shed from the lining of your intestines.
- Mucus: 1-2% – Your intestines produce mucus to help everything glide through your digestive system.
- Dead cells: 0.5-1% – A small portion of your poop is made up of cells from your digestive tract that have served their time and are ready to move on.
Other Poop Colors, Explained
So, you’re used to the standard brown, but what happens when things take a turn for the rainbow? A lot, actually. The color of your poop can vary for a bunch of reasons, from what you ate last night to how your body’s handling things.
Green
If your poop is rocking a green hue, it’s probably because of something you ate—like a spinach-heavy salad or some green food coloring. It can also happen if your food moves through your digestive system too quickly, not giving bile enough time to do its job and turn things brown.
Yellow
Yellow poop could be a sign that your body isn’t absorbing fat properly, which can happen with conditions like celiac disease. You might also be dealing with a greasy texture and a brutal smell.
Black
Black poop might be a red flag—literally. It can be caused by something as simple as taking iron supplements or eating black licorice, but it can also indicate bleeding in your upper digestive tract. If it sticks around, it’s time to check in with a doc.
Red
Before you Google yourself into a panic, think about what you ate recently. Red foods like beets or tomatoes can do this. But if you haven’t had anything red and your poop is still giving off those vibes, it could mean there’s bleeding somewhere in your lower digestive tract.
White or Clay-Colored
If your poop is looking more like chalk than chocolate, it might mean your liver or gallbladder isn’t producing enough bile. This is one of those colors you don’t want to ignore, so definitely get it checked out.
So, while brown is the standard, a little color variation isn’t always cause for concern—but it’s worth paying attention to what’s going on.
No Matter the Hue, We’ll Wipe Your Poo
Whether you fill the toilet bowl with brown, green, or something in between, you can bet your ass we’re the best option to handle the aftermath. We’ve wiped billions of butts (literally) so we’ve encountered every color, consistency, and temperature of poop you could possibly imagine. Butt one thing is certain: DUDE Wipes always leave your third pit feeling fresher than a square of sandy two-ply could dream on.
