Green stool

Definition

Green stool — when your feces look green — is usually the result of something you ate, such as spinach or dyes in some foods. Certain medicines or iron supplements also can cause green stool.

Newborns pass a dark green stool called meconium, and breastfed infants often produce yellow-green stools. In older children and adults, green stool is not common. However, it's rarely cause for concern.

Causes

Infants

Infants might have green stool as a result of:

  • Not finishing breastfeeding entirely on one side. This can result in baby missing some of the high-fat-content breast milk, which affects the digestion of the milk.
  • Protein hydrolysate formula, which is used for babies with milk or soy allergy.
  • Lack of typical intestinal bacteria in breastfed infants.
  • Diarrhea

Children and adults

Causes of green stool include:

  • Diet high in green vegetables, such as spinach.
  • Food dyes.
  • Diarrhea
  • Iron supplements.

When to see a doctor

Call a healthcare professional if you or your child has green stool for more than a few days. Green stool often happens with diarrhea, so drink plenty of fluids and seek immediate medical attention if you or your child becomes dehydrated.

Last Updated Jul 2, 2024


© 2024 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. Terms of Use