If you haven’t had any of that, black poop could be a sign of bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract. If you’ve had licorice, iron supplements, or bismuth medications (such as Pepto-Bismol), that could be the explanation behind black stool. This means your stool moved through your bowels very quickly and didn’t form into a healthy poop. Indicates: In other words, you’ve got the runs, or diarrhea. Type 7: Jackson PollockĪppearance: Completely watery with no solid pieces. Try drinking more water and electrolyte-infused beverages to help improve this. Indicates: This too-soft consistency could be a sign of mild diarrhea. Type 6: Soft serveĪppearance: Fluffy and mushy with ragged edges. Indicates: This type of poop means you’re lacking fiber and should find ways to add some to your diet through cereal or vegetables. Type 5: AmoebasĪppearance: Small, like the first ones, but soft and easy to pass the blobs also have clear cut edges. Indicates: Doctors also consider this a normal poop that should happen every 1 to 3 days. Indicates: This is the gold standard of poop, especially if it’s somewhat soft and easy to pass. Type 3: Hot dogĪppearance: Log-shaped with some cracks on the surface. Indicates: Here we have another sign of constipation that, again, shouldn’t happen frequently. Indicates: These little pellets typically mean you’re constipated. That said, some people do spend a bit more time on the toilet, so as a general rule, a poop should take no more than 10 to 15 minutes.Īppearance: Hard and separate little lumps that look like nuts and are hard to pass. A healthy poop, however, should be easy to pass and take only a minute or so to push out. Length of timeĪ commonly heard joke is that when someone takes too long in the bathroom, it must mean they’re pooping. If it sways too much one way or another, it could suggest some digestion or fiber issues. ConsistencyĪnywhere between a firm and soft consistency is pretty much normal. Poops shouldn’t come out in small pellets - something else we’ll get to later - but instead should be a couple of inches in length, and comfortable and easy to pass. When they differentiate from the log shape, that’s when your poop is trying to tell you something’s up. However, as we’ll get to later, there are a variety of shapes that poop can have. ShapeĪ somewhat log-like shape is how most poop should come out due to its formation within the intestines. The combination of stomach bile and bilirubin, which is a pigment compound formed from the breakdown of red blood cells in the body, gets the credit for this oh-so-lovely shade of brown. The poop emoji has one thing right: the brown coloring. But there are a few general rules to follow if you want to assess your poo artistry for optimum health. Healthy poop can be as varied and as unique as the individuals who make it.

Type chart