Eating black licorice, blueberries, blood sausage or taking iron pills, activated charcoal, or medicines that contain bismuth (such as Pepto-Bismol), can also cause black stools. Beets and foods with red coloring can sometimes make stools appear reddish.
Can blueberries change your stool color?
Blueberries and cherries
Cherries can turn the stool reddish, while blueberries can paint your poo shades of deep blue or even black. Dr. Lee says in both cases, you'd have to eat more than a handful to see such rainbow shades. (One more reason to avoid an all-blueberry diet.)
What foods cause dark stools?
Dark stool may be caused by foods or medications including:
- Beets.
- Black licorice.
- Blueberries.
- Iron supplements.
- Medications containing bismuth subsalicylate (for example, Kaopectate or Pepto-Bismol)
