Boo … poo?
In the spirit of spooky season and in celebration of gut health, we’re talking ghost poops and phantom feces.
What is a ghost poop?
“A ‘ghost poop’ is a term used to describe when one’s stool sinks to the bottom of the toilet and seemingly vanishes without a trace,” gut health expert and registered dietician Julie Balsamo previously told The Post.
That “without a trace” includes an absence of evidence when you wipe — and experts say it is a scary good sign.
“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, recently told SELF.
There are a few conditions that contribute to spooky scat.
The reason these poos seem to disappear? They are heavier and, thanks to fiber, sink faster.
Scarlata explains, “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.”
The easy exit is also a sign that your sphincter and gut muscles are aligned to push out poo in a single, cohesive movement.
And how about the ghostly absence of toilet paper proof?
“The lack of residue points back to a good balance of fluids and fat in your poops since stool with too much water or malabsorbed fats can be ‘messy’ and ‘mashed-potato-like,’” Scarlata says.
If you’re more in the mashed-potato camp, Scarlata says you need not fear as “we all will have different kinds of poops one day to the next.”
Factors including diet, stress, hydration and hormones have a direct bearing on the quality, quantity, and phantom activity of your feces, and experts note that not having a ghost poo does not mean you are unhealthy.
However, a lack of fiber may be to blame for your less-than-stellar stool.
While the American Heart Association recommends at least 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day to help regulate bowel movements, control blood sugar and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, most Americans only get about 15 grams daily.
“Plants are your best fiber foods, and fiber helps you poop easier and keeps you pooping on the regular. Some stand-out fiber foods are avocado, berries, beans, and whole grains,” California-based registered dietician and nutritionist Amanda Sauceda previously told the Post.
Too much fiber and not enough water can also keep the golden goal of the ghost poop out of reach or out of the bowl, as fiber has a harder time moving through the gut without water.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, “ghost poop” is considered an optimal “four” on the Bristol Stool Chart — a research tool that “classifies feces” into seven different categories to tell you about the health of your bowel movements.
A “Type 4” on the BSC indicates a thin and “snakelike” poop that is also smooth and soft in texture.
Sauceda advised that “hard, pellet-like poop” and poop with “a lot of cracks on the surface” are both not “healthy” — ranking as a 1 or a 3 on the BSC.
To achieve a smooth and “snakelike” ghost poop, people should up their fiber and their hydration.
Another way to keep your movements smooth is to upgrade your throne game by investing in a Squatty Potty or practicing toilet yoga.
According to experts, sitting on a modern toilet interferes with the angle at which your rectum eliminates bodily waste.
When your knees are raised over your hips and your upper body is tilted forward in a squat, the muscle that forms a sling around the rectum can relax, cutting down on straining, constipation and hemorrhoidal risk.
“Physiologically, it’s better to poop at that angle,” Dr. Gina Sam, director of the Gastrointestinal Motility Center at Mount Sinai Hospital, previously told the Post.
While experts agree that a ghost poop is generally a good sign of gut health, you don’t want a spectral stool every time you go.
As Sauceda noted, “It isn’t ideal 100% of the time because you can’t observe any changes in your poop. If the poop disappears in the toilet bowl right after you go, then you won’t be able to see if there are color or consistency changes.”
Not achieving ghost poops on the regular doesn’t mean you’re GI health is in peril but with colon cancer rates on the rise among young people, experts warn some scat and scat adjacent signs are cause for concern.
These include rectal bleeding, pencil-thin poop, abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits, pain while pooping, unexplained weight loss and extreme fatigue.
