Reasons Why

Green poop (also known as Green Stool) is when your faeces turn green in color. The symptom has a variety of causes:

- Things you eat – including leafy foods such as spinach and lettuce. It can also occur from antacids, iron supplements, iron rich foods and food with purple or green dyes or coloring, such as popsicles, Kool-Aid and gelatin (Jelly or Jell-O).
- Bile. It’s a green substance made by the liver and stored in the gall bladder which is released into the small intestine to help the body break down food. As the food progresses to the large intestine, the feces is turned brown. A reason for green secretion could be from the poop moving through the large intestine too fast, not getting a chance to turn brown. This often results in diarrhoea which is green.

• Infant children – if a child is breast-fed, they will most likely have green body waste, which is normal.
• Older children – as with adults, a child’s discharge can turn green from food they’ve eaten. It can also occur from eating or sucking non-food related items such as crayons.
• Liquid diet – causes the stool to be watery green. An example of this is when children are ill and put on a liquid diet for a few days.
• Drugs including chlorophyll, Chloresium, Derifil, Nullo and PALS.
• Some cow milk formulas.

If your excretion turns green only for a few days, then there’s usually nothing to worry about. It is a normal occurrence. If it’s ongoing, it may be caused by some of these:

• Salmonella often causes green poop usually with diarrhoea
• Giardia – also normally occurs with diarrhea
• Intestinal disorder
• Gastroenteritis

If your symptoms persist for longer than a few days or your green poop is coupled with other unusual bowel movements or you’re experiencing pain, then consult your doctor.