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Mark Pimentel MD, an associate professor of Medicine and Gastroenterology at Cedars-Sinai.

Dont flush that just yet!

More often than not, your poop color meaningwontbe cause for concern.

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Dr. Brooke Scheller is a Doctor of Clinical Nutrition and personalized nutrition expert specializing in nutrition strategy, brand and innovation in the health and wellness industry.

What stool color means?

As such, what you eat, can pretty much become what you get (literally).

(Read: Beet-colored number twos after eating a healthy serving of beets.)

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But what you eat isnt the only factor that can play a role in poop color meaning.

So, lets get down to business, shall we?

When your stool is darker brown, its generally healthy unless you have other symptoms, says Dr. Pimentel.

Young woman mixing ice coffee

So, how does the food you eat get to this point in first place?

Thats why you might notice a more-green-than-usual stool if you ate a substantial amount of green veggies before.

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Dr. Brooke Scheller is a Doctor of Clinical Nutrition and personalized nutrition expert specializing in nutrition strategy, brand and innovation in the health and wellness industry.

Although, its best to consult with a medical professional to determine the best treatment plan.

If your stool is generally always on the lighter brown side, it may be your bodys typical hue.

And if its yellow every once in a while, you probably dont need to worry.

Two cups with coffee and green tea on a beige background.

Black

Another stool color to take special note is black.

Black (like, midnight black) is usually a sign of digested blood, says Dr. Pimentel.

He adds that this usually indicates internal bleeding higher up in the digestive tract like the esophagus or stomach.

red pigment in a wooden spoon

In which case, theres no reason to worry if your stool is black due to these medications.

However, if you have not taken those medicines, its best to call your doctor.

When should I go to the doctor for poop problems?

Its also worth noting that color is justoneof themanyindicators ofhealthy poop.

So, before you flush, take some notes.

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