We get it—poop isn’t exactly dinner table conversation. But maybe it should be. That daily (or not-so-daily) bathroom ritual is more than just a relief—it’s a goldmine of health info, quietly offering clues about what’s going on inside your body. In fact, your poop might be the most underrated health report you produce on a regular basis.
From why it floats to how it smells (yes, we’re going there), we’re diving into the surprising, strange, and straight-up fascinating world of your number two. Trust us—by the end of this list, you’ll never look at your flush the same way again.
Here are ten fascinating and lesser-known facts about poop that might surprise you:
- Poop is mostly water: About 75% of your stool is water. The remaining 25% is a mixture of fiber, bacteria (both living and dead), cells shed from the intestinal lining, mucus, and other waste products.
- Colour can reveal health issues: While brown is the standard colour (thanks to bile), unusual shades like green, black, red, or pale grey can indicate anything from dietary changes to serious conditions like internal bleeding or liver issues.
- You can poop out fat: On certain diets (like keto) or with conditions like celiac disease or gallbladder problems, fat may not be properly absorbed and can show up in stool, making it greasy, pale, or float.
- Your poop has its own microbiome: Each bowel movement contains trillions of bacteria unique to your gut. Studying it can provide deep insights into your overall health, immunity, and even mood.
- Floating poop isn’t always bad: It can mean excess gas or undigested fiber, but if it happens often and comes with a bad smell or oily appearance, it might be a sign of malabsorption.
👉 Check out our Gut Health Hub for tips, food guides, and expert-approved supplements.
- Stress changes your poop: Anxiety or stress can affect gut motility and microbiota, leading to constipation, diarrhea, or urgency; it’s part of the brain-gut connection.
- Poop is being used in medicine: Fecal transplants (poop from a healthy donor) are used to treat serious infections like C. difficile by restoring a healthy gut microbiome.
- Holding in poop can backfire: Regularly delaying bowel movements can lead to constipation, hemorrhoids, and even fecal impaction, especially in children and the elderly.
- You can tell how long food took to digest: The “transit time” from mouth to toilet averages 1–3 days. You can test yours by eating corn or sesame seeds and seeing how long they take to appear in your stool.
- The smell is from sulfur: Compounds like hydrogen sulfide and indole, produced by bacteria during digestion, are the main reason poop stinks. Diet heavily influences the scent—meat, for example, can make it more pungent.
The Bottom Line on Your Bottom Line
It might feel awkward to talk about, but your poop is basically your gut’s daily press release—and it’s worth paying attention to. From texture to timing, every little detail offers insight into what’s happening in your digestive system and beyond. Changes in your number two can point to everything from dehydration to gut imbalances, nutrient absorption issues, or signs your microbiome needs a little TLC.
Because when it comes to health, it’s not just what goes in that counts—it’s what comes out, too.
~ Read more from The Health Insider ~
- 11 Poop Facts That Are Weirdly Useful (and Weirdly Fascinating)
Your poop can signal a red flag, the need for a “gut” check, and can even serve as a diet diary. These lesser-known poop facts explain how. - The Gut Health Wakeup Call at 40: Are You Paying Attention?Your gut microbiome loses diversity as you age—and that can mean more inflammation, more discomfort, and more surprise reactions to food. But there are small daily habits that can keep it in check.
- Liver Detox Made Delicious: 7 Superfoods That Heal From the Inside OutAging, stress & inflammation slow liver detox. Here’s how food can get liver health back on track to help you avoid metabolic syndrome and fatty liver disease.
The information provided on TheHealthInsider.ca is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. TheHealthInsider.ca advises consulting a medical professional or healthcare provider when seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.
