# Bristol stool chart > An interactive Bristol stool chart. Pick the type that matches and see what it usually means, which signs need a doctor, and how to track it with food. Canonical: https://lucernel.com/tools/bristol-stool-chart Last updated: 2026-09-26 Pick the type that looks most like yours. You see what that type usually means, and the signs that mean you should call a doctor. Free, no account. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you pick is sent or stored. Interactive version: https://lucernel.com/tools/bristol-stool-chart ## How it works The Bristol stool form scale was published by Lewis and Heaton at the Bristol Royal Infirmary in 1997. It sorts stool into seven types by shape and consistency, and the type follows how long food takes to pass through the gut. Types 1 and 2 are hard and point to slow transit, as in constipation. Types 3 and 4 are the ideal range: formed, soft and easy to pass. Types 5, 6 and 7 are soft, mushy or liquid and point to fast transit, as in diarrhea. One stool says little. A pattern over days, next to what you ate, slept and felt, says much more, which is why doctors and dietitians ask patients to keep a diary. ## Good to know - This chart describes; it does not diagnose. Only a clinician can tell you why your stool changed. - Call a doctor right away for blood in the stool, black or tarry stool, severe belly or rectal pain, signs of dehydration, or diarrhea that lasts more than 2 days. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is a normal Bristol stool type? Types 3 and 4 are usually considered the healthy range: formed, soft and easy to pass. What matters most is a change from what is normal for you. ### What does Bristol type 6 or 7 mean? Loose or watery stool, as in diarrhea: food moved through quickly. If it lasts more than 2 days, or comes with fever, blood or dehydration, call a doctor. ### What does Bristol type 1 or 2 mean? Hard, lumpy stool that is often difficult to pass, as in constipation. See a doctor if it does not settle with self-care, or right away if it comes with bleeding, constant belly pain or weight loss you cannot explain. ### Why track stool type next to food? Because a pattern only shows up over time. On a low-FODMAP plan, the stool type next to each meal helps you and your dietitian see which foods you tolerate. ## Gutli puts the stool type next to what you ate. Log meals, symptoms and the Bristol type in seconds, follow the low-FODMAP phases, and bring a clear record to your dietitian. - Meals and symptoms with the Bristol chart - Elimination, reintroduction and maintenance phases - PDF and CSV reports for your clinician [Gutli](https://lucernel.com/apps/gutli) ## Sources (checked 2026-09-26) - [Lewis SJ, Heaton KW. Stool form scale as a useful guide to intestinal transit time. Scand J Gastroenterol, 1997](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9299672/) - [Cleveland Clinic: Bristol Stool Chart](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/bristol-stool-chart) - [NIDDK: Symptoms and causes of diarrhea](https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/diarrhea/symptoms-causes) - [NIDDK: Symptoms and causes of constipation](https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/constipation/symptoms-causes)