If your poo is green, it generally means that either you have eaten foods with green pigments (like leafy green vegetables or artificial green food coloring) or that bile is passing through your intestines too quickly for it to break down fully. Bile starts off green and usually turns brown after digestion, but if digestion is rapid (as in diarrhea or certain gut conditions), the stool can remain green. Other causes can include antibiotic use, certain medications, or bacterial and viral infections like Salmonella, E. coli, or norovirus. Green stool is often harmless, but if it persists or is accompanied by symptoms like pain, fever, or weight loss, medical advice should be sought.
Common Causes of Green Stool
- Diet: Eating a lot of green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, broccoli) or consuming green/blue food coloring can cause green stool.
- Rapid Bile Transit: If stool moves too fast through intestines (due to diarrhea or infection), bile pigment remains green.
- Medications: Antibiotics, iron supplements, or antacids with aluminum hydroxide can change stool color.
- Infections: Some bacterial (Salmonella, E. coli) and viral infections (norovirus) can cause green stool.
When to See a Doctor
- If green stool lasts more than a few days without a clear dietary cause.
- If accompanied by other symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, weight loss, or blood in stool.
- If there is persistent diarrhea or signs of dehydration.
In most cases, green stool is not a concern and is linked to diet or minor digestive changes.
