The shape of your stool can reveal important clues about whether you have a healthy gut. It’s a reflection of the food you eat and how much water you drink. Even your stress levels can affect the way your stool looks.
What comes out of you tells you a lot about what’s going on inside you. The shape of healthy poop looks like a smooth log or a snake and you should have 1 to 3 bowel movements a day. This is because after food goes in, something should come out!
So, paying attention to the shape of your stool or any changes to it can help spot potential issues early and keep your gut and health running smoothly.
What Does the Shape of Your Stool Reveal About Your Health?
Your stool can tell you a lot about your digestive health, according to John Hopkins Medicine, and its shape provides valuable insights into the functionality of your digestive system. Loose stools and hard stools are not ideal and are in contrast to healthy poop which is typically well-formed, soft, and easy to pass.
Monitoring changes in stool shape can help detect underlying digestive issues before they become chronic.
Stool shape is affected by many factors, some are innocuous, like –
- Not eating enough fibre
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Spicy foods
- Food intolerances
- Iron supplements
But others are more serious, like –
- Stress
- Intestinal parasitic and viral infections
- Intestinal bacterial and yeast overgrowths (SIBO and SIFO)
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
- Colorectal cancer
The difference between a healthy and unhealthy stool is easy to spot so looking in the toilet bowl can be one of the simplest ways to spot early signs of digestive issues, according to studies conducted by the National Library of Medicine.
The Bristol Stool Chart Explained
The Bristol Stool Scale is a stool form scale used to classify human stool into seven types of poop based on shape and consistency. It helps practitioners and individuals understand their intestinal transit time and how healthy your digestive system is.
Bristol stool scale
Type 1 – Unhealthy
Appearance: Separate hard lumps, pellets or balls that are hard to pass.
Meaning: transit time is super slow and as a result excessive water gets sucked out of the stool causing it to become hard, dehydrated and turn into balls. This type of stool is a sign of chronic constipation, even if you are going daily.
Type 2 – Unhealthy
Appearance: Sausage-shaped but lumpy
Meaning: transit time is sluggish so water gets sucked out of the stool and it becomes lumpy. This means you have moderate constipation, even if you go daily.
Type 3 – Healthy
Appearance: Like a sausage but with cracks on the surface
Meaning: considered normal, healthy stool but cracks indicate the stool has become slightly dehydrated due to slower than ideal transit time and may indicate mild constipation.
Type 4 – Perfect
Appearance: Smooth, soft, sausage, easy to pass
Meaning: Ideal stool, ideal transit time (12 to 24 hours) and healthy digestion
Type 5 – Unhealthy
Appearance: Soft blobs with clear-cut edges
Meaning: transit time is too quick (less than 12 hours). Not enough water is absorbed from the stool, so it forms small, soft blobs. May indicate mild urgency
Type 6 – Unhealthy
Appearance: Fluffy pieces with ragged edges, mushy consistency
Meaning: something is irritating the gut and causing excess water to come into the bowel. This makes the stool very soft and break apart into fluffy pieces. This is mild diarrhoea and may be a sign of inflammation
Type 7 – Unwell
Appearance: Watery, no solid pieces
Meaning: the digestive system is very irritated or inflamed, causing lots of water to come into the bowel resulting in watery diarrhoea. This is severe diarrhoea, possibly due to infection or food intolerance or sensitivity.
The Perfect Poop
Type 4 on the Bristol Stool Chart is considered the healthiest stool as its smooth, soft shape indicates optimal digestion and adequate hydration. A Type 4 stool passes easily without straining or urgency and reflects a well-balanced diet rich in insoluble and soluble fibre, the key factors for maintaining a healthy digestive tract.
What Different Stool Shapes Might Mean
The shape and texture of your stool can reveal valuable insights about your digestive tract. Here’s what some common stool shapes may indicate in regard to digestive problems.
Hard or Lumpy
Often a sign of constipation or dehydration. It may mean you’re not getting enough fibre or fluids.
Loose or Watery
Typically points to chronic diarrhea, which may be caused by infections, food intolerances, food poisoning or conditions like IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). May also result in yellow poop.
Thin or Ribbon-Like
May suggest a narrowing in the colon, IBS, or another type of blockage. Persistent changes should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.
Floating Stool
Can be a sign of too much fat, possibly related to issues with the pancreas, liver, or conditions like celiac disease.
Sinking Stool
When your poop sinks it is a sign of a healthy stool. This indicates your digestive system has absorbed all the nutrients and there is no undigested food in the stool. This is a normal poop and is denser than water.
What Does Constipation Mean?
Constipation is mostly thought of as having trouble passing stool or going to the bathroom less often than usual, typically fewer than three times a week, according to the National Library of Medicine. Stools may be hard, dry, or difficult to pass, and you might feel bloated or like you haven’t fully emptied your bowels.
Health Direct classifies mild constipation as when you have a bowel movement every 2-3 days, and it has been occurring for under 3 months. Chronic constipation is when you have a bowel movement once per week and it has been happening for 3 months
On the Bristol Stool Chart constipation is associated with stool types 1 and 2.
But constipation can also be present even when it appears you are having regular healthy bowel movements. Constipation is incomplete emptying not just infrequent or difficult passing of stools.
A very common sign of constipation with regular bowel movements is chronic bloating, bloating after eating, bloating after only drinking and waking bloated. Bloating in these situations occurs because the bowel is backed up.
What Can Cause Constipation?
- Not enough fibre in your diet (like fruits, veggies, or whole grains)
- Too little water or fluids
- Lack of movement or exercise
- Ignoring the urge to go when you need to
- Side effects of medications (such as painkillers, iron supplements, or antidepressants)
- Stress or changes in routine
- Underlying health issues, like IBS, diabetes, or thyroid problems
Other Factors to Consider: Colour, Smell, and Frequency
In addition to shape, the colour, smell, and frequency of your stool can offer important insights into your digestive health. While brown is considered normal, other colours can sometimes signal a problem.
For example, if you pass a green poop it may be due to you eating a lot of leafy vegetables or food moving too quickly through the gut.
While passing a yellow, greasy, or foul-smelling stool might indicate fat malabsorption or issues with the liver or pancreas.
A black poop or red stools and bloody stools can be a sign of internal bleeding and should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.
Pale or clay-coloured stool may point to a bile duct or liver issue.
The smell of your stool can also be a reflection of gut health. A strong odour is normal, but extremely foul-smelling stools can suggest intestinal bacterial overgrowths or infections.
A healthy bowel movement frequency is 1-3 times per day. Anything more or less should be considered abnormal.
Any sudden or ongoing changes in your bowel habits may indicate a need for dietary changes or medical investigation.
What Does Healthy Poop Look Like?
Healthy Stool Characteristics
Colour:
Medium to dark brown.
The brown colour is due to bile and bilirubin. Green can also be normal if related to diet (e.g., leafy greens or food colouring).
Shape:
Log-shaped and smooth. Type 4 on the Bristol Stool Scale
Ideally resembles a sausage or snake with a smooth or slightly cracked surface.
Size:
Typically, 2.5-5 cm (1–2 inches) wide and 10-20 cm (4–8 inches) long.
Size can vary depending on diet. Very small or pellet-like stools may indicate constipation.
Consistency:
Soft and formed.
Not too hard or too watery. Should pass comfortably and not require straining.
Frequency:
1 to 2 times per day or every other day.
When to See a Doctor or Naturopath
While occasional changes in stool may be normal, certain signs should not be ignored. If you notice blood in your stool, a black stool, or ongoing changes in your bowel habits, it’s important to consult a healthcare provider.
These changes could indicate underlying issues, such as infections, gastrointestinal bleeding, or digestive disorders that require professional attention. If you’re experiencing persistent discomfort, unexplained weight loss, or fatigue, these could also be red flags.
A naturopath or doctor can provide personalised guidance, conduct tests, and suggest treatments to address the root cause. Always seek professional consultation if you’re concerned about your digestive health.
If your stools are not the perfect poop then your body is telling you your gut health needs some help.
We are experts in fixing your gut naturally, so take the first step toward a healthier you now and contact us or book an initial consultation with one of our expert naturopaths.
Common Questions Answered
What do unhealthy stools look like?
Unhealthy stools can be very hard, dry, or lumpy, which may indicate constipation. They can also be very loose, watery, or foul-smelling, which might suggest diarrhoea, an infection, or malabsorption issues. Stools that are pale, yellow, or black could signal underlying health problems, including digestive issues or bleeding.
When should I be worried about my stool shape?
You should be concerned if your stool shape is consistently thin or pencil-like, as it can sometimes indicate a bowel obstruction or other digestive conditions. Similarly, changes in stool shape that persist for more than a few days, especially if paired with symptoms like pain, blood, or unexplained weight loss, should be addressed with a healthcare provider.
What does it mean when your poo floats?
Floating stools are often a sign of fat malabsorption, which means your body is not absorbing fats properly. This could be due to conditions like celiac disease, pancreatitis, or liver problems. If your stool floats consistently or is accompanied by other digestive issues, it’s a good idea to consult a healthcare provider.
What are the 4 types of stool?
Type 1: Separate hard lumps, or lumpy stools often indicate severe constipation.
Type 2: Sausage like stools that are smooth or cracked are considered normal stools.
Type 3: Soft blobs with clear cut or ragged edges often indicate gut irritation.
Type 4: Watery diarrhoea indicates severe gut irritation.
What colour is your stool if you have liver problems?
If you have liver issues, you may have pale poop, clay-coloured, or even white. This can happen if the liver is not producing enough bile, which helps digest fats and gives stool its normal brown colour. If you notice a persistent pale stool, it could indicate liver or bile duct problems and should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.
