It’s no secret that your body eliminates digested food through your stool. Your body uses enzymes and acid to break down the nutrients in the foods you eat, and it’s typically not visible in the toilet bowl.
However, when you eat foods like corn, this isn’t always the case.
“Corn does have this reputation of showing up and making a second appearance after a meal,” said gastroenterologist Dr. Leybelis Padilla. Think about the last time you had Chipotle or corn on the cob ― did it come out intact later?
For most people, this is a completely normal occurrence. If you’re interested in why this happens, we spoke with doctors to help us understand:
For starters, the corn kernel’s outer layer is indigestible.
What you’re seeing in your stool is often just the outer shell of the corn, which is called the pericarp. This part of the starchy vegetable is made of indigestible plant fibers.
“It is made of a very tough cellulose, a type of fiber that our human body cannot fully break down. The reason is that we lack the enzymes to fully digest this shell,” said Dr. Susan Kais, a board-certified gastroenterologist.
“Even with thorough chewing, that outer layer often stays intact while the inside is digested,” Kais continued. “This is completely normal and should not be a cause for concern. It simply reflects how our human digestive system handles certain plant fibers.”
How you chew your corn can also have an impact.
Since everyone’s digestive tract and digestive system can vary, not everyone will have corn come out whole in their stool. Eating multiple pieces of corn at once or not chewing enough can affect how the food comes out in your stool, too.
“It depends on how thoroughly the corn is chewed and individual digestive differences. Some people may see it more often, while others rarely do. Both experiences are normal,” Kais explained.
How quickly food moves through a person’s digestive tract and whether someone’s microbiome or gut bacteria is capable of fermenting the corn could play a role as well.
“Even still, even if someone’s microbiome is more adept at digesting or fermenting these starches, this outer shell is often still there,” Padilla noted.
Grace Cary via Getty Images
The outer shell of corn is practically indigestible, so that’s likely what you’re seeing in the toilet bowl.
You still get the nutritional value of corn, even if it comes out whole in your stool.
From a nutritional standpoint, is the vegetable even worth consuming if it runs right through you? The short answer: yes. Since what you’re spotting is the pericarp, rest assured, you’re getting the benefits of corn.
“The digestible parts of the corn, including carbohydrates, vitamins and some antioxidants, are released once the kernel is broken down by thorough chewing and further digestion,” Kais explained.
“The outer shell passing through does not mean the nutrients are lost,” Kais continued. “Think of it as the ‘packaging’ staying intact while the contents are still used.”
This isn’t true if you don’t chew the kernel and just swallow it whole, however. “If you do not chew the kernel, you are unable to open the packaging for your body to absorb its nutrients. So, chew well when eating corn to gain the nutrients,” Kais said.
Corn isn’t the only food showing up whole in your stool, by the way.
Other high-fiber foods can behave similarly to corn.
“You might notice things like blueberries, seeds, nuts, popcorn hulls or vegetable skins like tomatoes or peppers in your stool,” Kais said. “These foods again have tough outer layers that are resistant to our human digestion, especially if not fully chewed.”
Don’t worry, this is a normal finding and usually not something to worry about unless it’s accompanied by other symptoms, such as persistent changes in your stool or you have digestive concerns. It’s always a good idea to consult your healthcare professional if you have any concerns about your digestive health.
