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Why is stool green?

23 Apr, 2023 by Dane Raynor

Have you ever taken a glance at your poop and wondered why it looks like something from another planet? Maybe you look down after finishing a hearty meal of leafy greens, only to watch your excrement take on a distinctly green hue. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that our bowel movements can seem downright strange sometimes.

But what causes stool to be green in the first place? Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered with all the dirty details.

The basics of digestion

First things first: let’s talk about how digestion even works. When we eat food, it travels through our mouths and esophagus before being broken down by stomach acid. From there, enzymes begin breaking apart molecules of carbohydrates, fats,and proteins, extracting valuable nutrients from each component as they go along.

Our intestines then take over from there, absorbing these nutrients into our bodies while also eliminating any waste products that remain. Throughout this entire process, specialized bacteria living inside our gut help us digest various substances more efficiently.

Where does poop come from?

As we digest food and absorb its nutrients into the body where they are needed for energy or growth; other materials don’t fit those useful categories-namely fiber and dead cells lining your digestive tract-is leftover.And THAT’S where fecal matter comes in.Those left overs fiber(pretty much indigestible)and dead cell generate an extra amount water-soluble material(made up part each day)-aka-things like bile which ultimately gets mixed with existing readied-for-excretion poo compounds-becoming definitively known as poop.If everything goes well,you get normal colored brown-colored poo,but if gallbladder/liver isn’t properly functioning,the color can veer off wildly.The bilirubin produced during breakdown could lead to light-colored (almost white) poops or even blackish ones.This means anytime anything interferes from greying the green, or populating it with dark red blood etc.

Bile – a key player

One of the major substances responsible for causing green stool is bile, which is produced by the liver and stored in our gallbladder before being released into our intestines to help break down fats.

Bile itself has a distinct yellow-green color thanks to one of its main components: bilirubin. This substance is formed when old red blood cells are broken apart and processed by our bodies, then sent through the liver where it’s converted into bile.

So if you end up seeing more green poop than usual,it could be due to the presence of extra bile making its way through your body.

The role of gut bacteria

Another contributing factor to stool color comes from something known as fecal flora – or put more simply, the types of bacteria living inside your intestinal system that aid in digestion.

These tiny organisms play a significant role in breaking down food particles and releasing various gases that can contribute to smells (and sounds!) for farts.The sheer number and assortment necessary may alter things. An abundance of certain healthy bacteria strains will produce optimal gut health-often resulting in desirable bowel movements-as they decompose any leftovers fiber,digested matter during journey; research even demonstrate those same microbes hold influence over weight,the immune system,and diverse functions-meanwhile deficiencies leave us open various diseases-so make sure we swallow enough fermented foods like yogurt,kimchi,sourdough,miso soup et cetera! If lacking variety OR quantity,this slip-up might manifest itself instantly-through gastric distress,later on such depletion lead easily error-prone mucosa-carrying proteins etc.

Interestingly enough,Yellow vegetable/fruit + Vitamin K also assist maintaining ecological balance fermentation product producing duties similar way microbiota does-large amount above produce succinic acid turning feces new ear tone(low pH) while reducing gas odors. Be aware this makes it very easy to confuse with green poop caused by other reasons.

Foods that can cause green stool

Of course, we can’t forget the role of our diet in all of this. Eating particular types of food and drinking certain liquids will eventually lead to discolored bowel movement if extreme/large amount intake ensues.A few real contenders are:

Leafy Greens

Leafy veggies like spinach,kale,broccoli leave behind magnesium in excrete matter after digestion.This gives off a shade reminiscent iron oxide.Swallowing sizeable portions consistently assume leader position altering overall intestinal color spectrum.

Food Coloring/excessive Sugar/preservatives- especially found in kids snack products.

Those bright colors added into foods via market regulations make appearances not only on plates but also toilets-yes that sounds strange-but nevertheless true! Moreover,a popular sweetener ‘sugar alcohols’ cannot be processed fully within gut so may exacerbate such insignificant discoloration issues-many doctors recommend avoiding these entirely!

Iron Supplements

Iron itself typically imparts typical blackish-green coloring,but when taken excessively or continuously without required daily dose,you might even see blue-hued changes.So stay alert-supplements aiding blood symptoms aren’t just useful for vegan/vegetarian choice.Whereas medications relying on ferrous sulfate increase absorption potentiality per day.And one more thing-Iron-rich natural sources,eg liver,pumpkin seeds & quinoa are prone commonly resulting poop get browner too than usual,something casually seen among meat-heavy diets

Rest assured,eating inherently healthy drink/smoothies made from basic fruit/veg blends won’t cause any alarming effects for digestive system.However caution needed while manufacturing DIY soda at home where easily monitoring what goes inside becomes difficult-makes sense doesn’t it?

Related Topics:

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  3. What does it mean when you have green stool?
  4. What to do when your stool is green?
  5. What causes stool to be green?

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