Why is There Corn In My Poop?

Have you ever thought, why is there corn in my poop? You aren't the only one. Read on fiber friends to learn how and why our body can't digest a corn kernel.

Why is Corn Undigested in Your Gut?

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Well, it turns out the corn we eat is actually a seed. Yep, that's right. The interior of the kernel holds the germ, or corn embryo. On the outside, there is a waxy, yellow outer coating called cellulose, which is a fiber that our lovely guts can't break down naturally. Stomach acid doesn't work here. The insides of corn that contain nutrients do break down in the gut. So that's why you may have pieces of corn in your stool.

We have a deep dive into fiber-rich foods to eat here.

Chew Your Food Slowly

If you want to avoid having a whole kernel in your stool, try chewing more on the corn to break down the outer casing further.

There are also other times were foods appear in our poop that our body can digest, in this case, it may be because we didn't chew the food enough. This is usually when we are really pressed for time. We eat too fast and swallow our food without fully chewing it.

If you eat too quickly, this may force digestion to take place too rapidly resulting in pieces of things in your poop.

Takeaway: slow down during eating and chew your food into smaller pieces even when super hungry.

Should I Ever Be Worried About Food In My Stool?

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There are situations to be concerned about having undigested food in your stool but only if you have other symptoms like abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits, or unexplained weight loss. Please consult a medical professional in those cases.