Varying shades of brown are the most typical color of your stool, which is due to a combination of bile and bilirubin during the digestive process where these fluids mix with your foods.

Your poop can become black if you’re taking iron supplements or eating foods such as black licorice or blueberries. However, black poop can also indicate bleeding in your digestive tract, which requires immediate attention.

Your stool may turn green if you’re consuming lots of leafy greens or if your food isn’t spending enough time in your digestive system and picking up as much of the brown-tinting bilirubin.

Yellow, greasy, stinky stool is typically a sign that you’re consuming too much fat. It can also signal malabsorption, where your body isn’t absorbing enough nutrients.

A chalky light stool may mean your body isn’t producing a digestive fluid called bile, due to a blocked duct. It can also be a side effect of certain medicines (e.g. anti-diarrhea meds).

Blood in your stool can make your poop appear red. Constipation or menstruation can cause a little bit of bleeding. However, it can also indicate something more serious such as bleeding in your colon due to a digestive disorder or colon cancer. Foods such as beets, cranberries, red gelatin or tomato juice can also make your poop turn red.