Watermelon can definitely lead to reddish poop. However, the color of your poop depends on whether the watermelon is digested or not.
You may not need to be concerned about the color of your poop. But, if other symptoms accompany it, it’s best to visit the doctor.
Diarrhoea or stomach ache that is caused by overconsumption of certain kinds of fruits has become all too common. Yes, even fruits and vegetables can be harmful if consumed in large amounts.
You need to determine if your stool is red from bleeding or eating a kind of fruit.
Try to pay attention to your stomach and bowel movements. If you suffer from ulcers, perhaps it’s best to rethink your diet.
Watermelons may taste great at the moment. Yet, you can overconsume it when you feel hot. This will lead to a reddish bowel movement. It is natural and nothing to worry about.
However, it may point toward digestive issues.
Why Does Watermelon Make Your Poop Red?
Can watermelon make your poop red? Yes, it can. But why does it do that?
If you have spotted redness in your poop after consuming some watermelon, you may have forgotten about the watermelon and started to focus on the color of your poop.
As time goes by, you may slowly realize that you consumed watermelon.
Here is where you Google your symptoms. Google may tell you there is nothing to worry about. But why did this happen?
Watermelon pulp may not be broken down through digestion. This is because it is soft and moves through the stomach with ease. It is then transferred into poop which can look bloody. This is a particularly alarming sight in younger children (1).
Younger children, especially babies, cannot digest food as well as adults (2). This is because it will take some time for their intestines to develop.
The same can be the case with adults that have consumed a lot of watermelon in one go.
Why You Shouldn’t Eat Too Much Watermelon
Eating a lot of watermelons can lead to side effects. These can cause discomfort or worsen the quality of your life. Here are some consequences of eating too much watermelon.
1. Diarrhoea and Digestion
According to Healthline, watermelon overconsumption can cause digestive issues (3). This is because bacteria can attach themselves to pre-cut and pre-packaged food. This leads to Salmonella, which can cause stomach aches and loose stools.
Diarrhoea can also be triggered by lycopene, which is an antioxidant which is found in watermelon. This is great for other diseases, such as those caused by free radicals. But, it can also cause gas and bloating which leads to diarrhoea.
In worse cases, watermelon can also induce vomiting. This indicates that you must visit the doctor to determine the cause of the severe side effects.
It may also be hard to digest food after you have consumed watermelon. This is because watermelon contains a lot of water and fiber. This can cause bloat from gases which eventually leads to indigestion.
2. Heart-Related Problems
Watermelon contains high potassium levels, much more than the recommended allowance you are supposed to intake (4). Consuming a lot of watermelon in conjunction with other foods that are rich in potassium can lead to an overdose.
These issues can eventually lead to kidney and heart problems as potassium can affect how these organs function (5). Arrhythmia and mood changes may follow.
3. Weight Gain
Fruits are not all good. If you really think about it, fruits contain quite a lot of natural sugar. This means that if you consume them in large amounts daily, you may be eating much more than the recommended sugar allowance.
This can cause weight gain. The best and perhaps only way for managing it properly is to eat watermelon sparingly.
Foods For Good Bowel Movements
Now that you’re aware of the answer to can watermelon make your poop red, let’s discuss some other foods that are good for bowel movements.
Fiber is key to good bowel movement (6).
Foods that have a high fiber quantity are pretty easy to find. This is because they are affordable and abundant. These foods contain dry fruit, carbohydrates, and other fruits and vegetables. Look up the amount of fiber in different foods and plan your diet accordingly.
You can consume oatmeal or cereal early in the day to get your required amount of fiber so that you can have a healthy bowel movement first thing in the morning.
1. Grains
Try to look for grains with a high fiber quantity. Whole grains contain fewer calories for more fiber content. Try to avoid processed grains if you are trying to eat healthily.
Slowly introduce brown rice into your diet and move away from white bread so that you can get better nutrients and better stools. It is best to look at the labels to understand the level of fiber present within one serving.
2. Fruits
Fruit can also lead to quite a lot of healthy fiber. It is also much easier to consume since it is sweet in nature. You can add it to your oatmeal in the morning or bake it to make a pie. Apples, pears, avocadoes, and many different kinds of fruits contain enough fiber and are flexible fruits and can conveniently be incorporated into your daily diet.
If you don’t like fruits, perhaps you can add them to a smoothie along with some vegetables for a different flavor. When making a smoothie, make sure you throw some nuts in for energy!
3. Vegetables
Vegetables are naturally great for fiber. Green leafy vegetables or even cauliflower and cabbage can provide you with the fiber you need.
Make sure you cook your leafy greens such as spinach and kale to kill the bacteria and enhance the taste.
4. Pulses
Different kinds of beans and legumes can introduce fiber to your diet. If you don’t like sweet food, perhaps you can make a bowl of savoury soup containing peas or pulses.
You can even eat your beans raw or on salads.
Stool Color and What It Means
Your stool’s color can say a lot of things about what you eat and your digestive system. Stool can be differently colored due to bile. This is a fluid that breaks down the food that enters your stomach.
The color of stool varies depending on a person and their digestive system. The more the bile, the less the chances of colored stool since food gets digested a lot better.
1. Green Poop
This can be caused by leafy vegetables. If your stomach contains less bile, it may not digest your leafy greens properly. This can cause your poop to appear green.
2. Red Poop
This depends on what you ate. If you just ate a fruit, then watermelon may be the culprit. However, if you consumed vegetables recently, try to remember if beets were a part of your meal. Beets may lead to a red color which may be mistaken for blood.
Different kinds of berries or cherries may also cause red poop. If you have a lot of cherries in your diet, your poop may seem red.
3. Black and Blue
If your poop comes out smurf-like or even black, blueberries may be a big part of your diet. However, you need to consume quite a lot of blueberries to achieve this color.
4. Orange Poop
Carrots may have become a big part of your diet. However, overconsumption can lead to orange poop. Carrot juice may be the main cause of orange poop since it contains carrots in such large amounts.
5. Rainbow Colored
Does your child usually tend to get weird colored poop. Check the kind of toys or colors they play with and see if they have been chewing on some crayons.
Different kinds of colors may also be caused by the food coloring.
Should I Be Worried About Colored Poop?
You should most definitely consider paying a visit to the doctor if you are getting colored poop after starting a new medicine. This colored poop may indicate that you are not able to digest your new medicine.
Moreover, you should be concerned if you have a persistent color in your poop, no matter your diet. Red-colored poop can point toward bloody stools. This depends on whether you have ulcers or bleeding in your stomach.
Pale or gray poop may be caused by a major problem associated with the intestine or other parts of your stomach. Visiting a doctor regularly and discussing your digestion issues can lead to healthier bowel movements and a better quality of life.
Final Thoughts
Watermelon can make your poop red, but so can other things. Understanding the color of your poop and what it means can lead to a better analysis of your digestive system.
This can help you get healthier.
Upset stomachs or digestive issues can lead to discomfort. Grumbling sounds when you sit in class or attend an important meeting can lead to a drop in confidence. A fulfilled and healthy stomach leads to a much better mood.
Food that is not digested well can wreak havoc on your system. If your poop tends to change color according to what you eat, perhaps your bile system isn’t working properly. Healthier diet changes can lead to better bowel movements that can improve the quality of your life in the long run.
Read more:
Does Grape Juice Make You Poop
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