Green, Yellow, Brown, and More: What Does the Color of My Vomit Mean?

Expelling green, brown, or other-colored vomit can signal a variety of issues. Vomiting itself is a symptom that accompanies many conditions, from short-lived infections to long-term illnesses.

Vomiting that lasts only one or two days is usually not regarded as serious. Often it’s your body’s way of reacting to irritation in the digestive tract or clearing harmful substances from the stomach.

Brief episodes of vomiting are commonly linked to acute ailments such as food poisoning. Recurrent cycles of vomiting over weeks or months may point to an underlying chronic disorder.

Why vomit alters color

Vomit color commonly changes as the body moves through different phases of the underlying problem. For instance, vomiting from a stomach bug might begin as green or yellow and then shift to orange.

Use this vomit color guide to understand what each hue might indicate and when you should consult a physician.

Meaning of different vomit colors

ClearWhite or foamyGreen or yellowOrangePink or red (bloody)BrownBlackAcid reflux✓Amyloidosis✓Bile reflux✓Blocked intestine✓Children: structural birth irregularities✓Children: blood clotting disorders✓Children: dietary intolerance to milk✓Concussion or brain injury✓Cyclic vomiting disorder✓Damage to throat, mouth, or gums✓✓✓Food poisoning✓✓✓Fungal infection✓Gastric outlet obstruction✓Gastritis✓Gastroenteritis✓✓✓Influenza✓✓Injury to mouth or throat from frequent vomiting✓✓✓Liver failure✓ ✓ ✓ Mallory-Weiss tear✓Migraine✓✓✓Morning sickness✓✓✓Peptic ulcer✓✓✓Severe constipation✓✓Stomach cancer✓✓✓

What does clear vomit indicate?

Clear vomit typically happens after multiple vomiting episodes have emptied the stomach of food.

It can be associated with conditions such as:

• morning sickness
• stomach flu
• migraine
• food poisoning

After the stomach is emptied you may later vomit bile, which is generally yellow or green.

Clear vomit can also result from:

• Gastric outlet obstruction. This occurs when the stomach is blocked—by a tumor, ulcer, or other cause—preventing anything eaten or drunk, even saliva or water, from passing through.
• Head injury. Some people suffer frequent, intense vomiting after a head trauma. In severe instances, clear vomit can be a sign of brain injury.

What does white or foamy vomit indicate?

Vomitus may look white if you recently consumed white foods like milk or ice cream.

Foamy vomit may develop when there is excess gas in the stomach. See a clinician if it lasts more than a day or two.

Causes of excess gas

Conditions that produce excess gas include:

• Acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Reflux occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus. Other signs include a burning sensation in the throat, chest discomfort, and difficulty swallowing.
• Gastritis. Inflammation of the stomach lining, which can develop from long-term use of certain pain relievers or heavy alcohol intake. Symptoms include indigestion, a feeling of fullness in the upper abdomen after eating, and nausea.

What does green or yellow vomit indicate?

Green or yellow vomit often indicates you’re bringing up bile, a fluid made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder.

Bile alone isn’t always worrisome. You may see it with milder causes of vomiting when the stomach is empty, such as stomach flu or morning sickness.

What does orange vomit indicate?

Orange vomit may appear during the first several hours of an illness that triggers vomiting. The color can persist if you continue to eat between episodes, since orange can reflect partially digested foods.

Unless it continues beyond a day or two, orange vomit is usually not alarming.

Common causes of orange vomit include:

• Food poisoning from contaminated foods. Often accompanied by diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever.
• Gastroenteritis or stomach flu. This viral illness may come from contact with an infected person or contaminated food and water. Other signs include low-grade fever, muscle aches, and abdominal discomfort.
• Influenza (the flu). This may start suddenly with symptoms similar to a bad cold—runny nose and sore throat—progressing to fever, fatigue, chills, and headache.
• Migraine. Severe headaches that can last for hours or days and may peak with nausea and vomiting, sometimes repeatedly during an attack.
• Pregnancy-related vomiting (morning sickness). Hormonal changes during pregnancy can cause nausea and vomiting. Although called morning sickness, it can occur at any time.

Other causes of temporary orange vomit include:

• appendicitis
• motion sickness
• chemotherapy
• inner ear infection
• certain medications

In these situations, orange vomit is usually transient and may change color as the vomiting continues.

What does pink or red (bloody) vomit indicate?

Vomiting large volumes of blood is known as hematemesis. Blood in vomit can appear pink, bright red, black, or dark brown.

Always seek medical attention if you notice pink, red, or otherwise bloody vomit.

Children vomiting blood

In kids, bloody vomit may be due to:

• milk intolerance
• swallowed blood from an oral injury
• certain clotting disorders
• congenital structural abnormalities

Adults vomiting blood

In adults, common causes of pink or red vomit include:

• Injury to the throat, mouth, or gums from coughing or vomiting. Small amounts of blood may not be serious, but if you see a substantial quantity or a “coffee grounds” appearance, consult a doctor to rule out more severe causes.
• Peptic ulcers or torn blood vessels. Bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract—from the mouth to the upper small intestine—can cause bloody vomit.
• Amyloidosis. A condition where abnormal protein deposits in organs can lead to symptoms including diarrhea, bloating, and vomiting blood.
• Liver failure. Often seen in people with underlying liver disease. Look for yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal swelling, upper right abdominal pain, and confusion or sleepiness.
• Mallory-Weiss tear. A tear in the esophagus caused by forceful, repeated vomiting.

What does brown vomit indicate?

Brown vomit can have two main explanations.

Often the brown hue is actually a shade of red, indicating blood. If it looks like light coffee grounds, seek medical care promptly—this can result from peptic ulcers, amyloidosis, or other serious conditions.

Severe constipation can also lead to brown vomit. When digestion is severely impaired, vomit may carry a fecal odor. Additional signs include bloating and intense abdominal pain. See a doctor for evaluation.

What does black vomit indicate?

Black vomit can similarly be a form of bloody vomit, often resembling dark coffee grounds.

This occurs when blood has been exposed to stomach acid long enough to oxidize, turning from brown to black. The absence of bright red blood can mean the bleeding has slowed or is occurring in a small quantity.

Black vomit is caused by the same conditions that produce bloody vomit (described earlier). Seek prompt medical care for diagnosis.

When vomit texture changes

Sometimes texture shifts simply reflect what’s in your stomach or how long it’s been since you ate certain foods. Texture can also alter after repeated vomiting episodes—first expelling food, then bile and stomach acid.

These texture variations are usually not dangerous, but contact a healthcare provider if you notice anything unusual or develop other concerning symptoms.

When to get medical help

Call a doctor or seek immediate care if you notice significant amounts of blood in your vomit. The blood’s color may range from red to brown to black.

Dial 911 or your local emergency number if bloody vomit is accompanied by dizziness, rapid or shallow breathing, or other signs of shock.

Green or yellow vomit can sometimes signal more serious problems, like bile reflux. If you have risk factors or other troubling symptoms, see a clinician.

Also consult a doctor if:

• Your vomiting has persisted for 48 hours without improvement.
• You can’t keep any fluids down.
• You show signs of dehydration, such as lightheadedness or headache.
• You’ve lost weight because of vomiting.
• You have diabetes, since recurrent vomiting may affect blood sugar control.
• You have severe chest pain, which could indicate a heart attack.

Tell a healthcare professional if you experience frequent vomiting. Recurrent episodes can have several causes, including cyclic vomiting disorder, a condition linked to neurological issues where vomiting occurs in repeated predictable cycles.

Frequently asked questions

Is green vomit alarming? Should I go to the emergency room?

Green vomit indicates bile. It can stem from infections like food poisoning or stomach flu, or from pregnancy-related nausea. In some cases it may be associated with more serious conditions such as liver failure or bile reflux. Seek urgent care if you have severe chest pain, dehydration, or other alarming signs.

What causes bilious vomiting?

Green vomit is often a sign of stomach flu. Other reasons for bile-colored vomiting include:

• food poisoning
• vomiting on an empty stomach

What should I eat after vomiting bile?

After any vomiting episode, consider a bland diet until you feel better or until a doctor treats the underlying cause. The BRAT diet is commonly recommended.

How is vomiting bile treated?

If you’re vomiting bile, a physician may prescribe ursodeoxycholic acid or a bile acid sequestrant. If the cause is structural rather than infectious or inflammatory, surgery may be necessary. Learn more about causes and treatments for throwing up bile.

The bottom line

For the most part, vomiting is an unpleasant but not life-threatening part of many illnesses. The hues and textures in the vomit color guide often relate to what’s in the stomach or how long vomiting has been occurring.

Certain colors—especially red, brown, or black—can indicate more serious or rare conditions that warrant medical evaluation.

Make an appointment with a doctor if you notice unusual colors or if vomiting persists beyond one or two days.

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