What Is a ‘Ghost Poop’ and Why Is It Such a Strong Indicator of Your Gut Health?
All products featured on Self are independently selected by Self editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Condé Nast may earn an affiliate commission.
Peter Dazeley/CSA-Printstock/Getty Images
We don’t blame you if the term “ghost poops” throws you for a loop. Depending on your affinity for spooky season, a phantom-themed bathroom experience may or may not sound like a fright. But here’s the twist: Ghost poops aren’t anything to be scared of at all—and they actually spell good news for your digestive health.
In fact, when it comes to brag-worthy toilet habits, these elusive stools are tough to beat.
“It’s the healthiest bowel movement, really, in a lot of ways,” Kate Scarlata, MPH, RDN, a Boston-based registered dietitian, gut health expert and cohost of The Gut Health podcast, tells SELF. Basically, it can signal some pretty great things about your diet, hydration, and overall gut health.
For those of you wondering, Wait, what the hell is a ghost poop? there are several definitions floating around out there. While it’s not an official medical term, the ghost poop generally refers to stool that seems to vanish into the toilet abyss without flushing and leave zero residue when you wipe. (So yes, we get how they could be a little spooky.)
There are a few characteristics that make feces behave this way, Scarlata explains. First off, the reason ghost poops disappear down the toilet is because they are heavy. Unlike floating stools, which may be buoyant due to excess gas, or malabsorption of carbs or fats, ghost poops are packed with fiber, which gives them a heft that helps them sink and vanish, Scarlata explains. Then, the fact that ghost poops are well-formed means they have a good mix of water content: They’re not too loose (as is the case with diarrhea) or conversely, too hard (like you’d find with constipation), Scarlata says.
Lastly, the fact they slip right out of you means your sphincter and gut muscles are perfectly coordinated to push poop out in one fell swoop, gastroenterologist Austin L. Chiang, MD, MPH, author of Gut: An Owner's Guide, tells SELF. The lack of residue also points back to a good balance of fluids and fat in your poops, since stool with too much water or malabsorbed fats or can be “messy” and “mashed-potato-like,” Scarlata says.
In sum, having a ghost poop is “a good sign for gut health,” Scarlata says. But you shouldn’t necessarily panic if your stuff comes out differently. In fact, most of us probably aren’t producing ghost poops on the reg, says Dr. Chiang, who surmises that they’re “probably more rare than normal.”
Beyond normal fluctuations in poop habits, “we all will have different kinds of poops one day to the next,” Scarlata says Many factors, including variances in diet, hydration, and stress levels, can impact what we see (or don’t see) in the toilet—and some of us just aren’t prone to ghost poops due to individual differences in our gut microbiomes. And that’s okay. “Not experiencing a ghost poop does not mean you are unhealthy,” Scarlata says.
That said, taking a moment to check in with your BMs can be a good chance to reflect on your overall diet and whether you’re getting enough important nutrients.
In particular, a lack of fiber is likely a big culprit for many people’s not-so-ghostly poops, Scarlata says. And fewer than 8% of Americans eat enough of this essential nutrient to meet the daily recommended amount (14 grams for every 1,000 calories), per a 2021 study in Current Developments in Nutrition.
Balancing fiber with good hydration is also important, since having too much in your diet with not enough water can create hard, bulky BMs, Dr. Chiang explains. On the flip side, too much water without enough fiber can form looser, messier poop, he says. The right balance will vary person to person but as a general rule of thumb, Scarlata suggests striving for 25 to 35 grams of fiber a day—here are 15 easy ways to up your daily intake if you need some inspo—and drinking enough water to make hay- to clear-colored pee.
Another pro tip from both Dr. Chiang and Scarlata: Consider raising your knees above your hips when you go—with the help of a squatty potty or really anything that elevates your feet—to open your rectal canal and make it that much easier to pass waste.
Just so we’re clear: Not having ghost poops isn’t cause for immediate concern—and it may not be a problem at all if you’re one of those people whose gut just isn’t prone to them. So instead of freaking out over poop that doesn’t disappear into the bowl, feel free to discuss your BM habits at your next annual physical, Scarlata says. Of course, if you’re worried about your stool, check in sooner, especially if you have: blood in your poop, a sudden change in BM habits, pain with pooping, and unintentional weight loss. Some of these can be symptoms of colon cancer—which is on the rise, especially among young people—so it’s important to get them checked out, Dr. Chiang says.
But if you’re one of those lucky people whose poops disappear without a trace? Pat yourself on the back. “You’re actually having a really awesome bowel movement,” Dr. Chiang says.
Related:
Get more of SELF’s great nutrition coverage delivered right to your inbox—for free.
Originally Appeared on Self
