Vomit Color Chart: Causes & When to Be Concerned

Key takeaways:

• Vomit can come in almost any color and has a wide array of causes.
• Some colors of vomit are totally benign while others indicate serious conditions that require immediate medical attention.
• The color of vomit usually has the same underlying causes in pregnant individuals but should be taken more seriously.

Believe it or not, vomit can take on a range of colors, each potentially signaling different health issues and underlying causes. Understanding the significance of these different colors and their causes is extremely important for anyone experiencing vomiting.

This article will explore the vomit color chart, detailing common causes for each color and when it might be time to seek medical attention.

Vomit color chart for adults or children

The vomit color chart and the associated underlying causes are largely the same for children and adults.

Red vomit

Red vomit has the potential to be from something benign such as dietary choices, but almost always indicates blood in the vomit.

Common causes:

• Stomach ulcers (peptic ulcer disease)
• Bleeding vessels in the esophagus
• Trauma to the esophagus, stomach, nose, mouth, or teeth
• Consuming foods high in red food dye

When to seek medical attention: Unless you can easily explain your red vomit with a reason such as vomiting after consuming a red food, this should always be a reason to seek medical attention to determine the cause of bleeding.

Orange vomit

Orange vomit may indicate the presence of bile or partially digested food. It should not be ignored but is often not a reason to panic.

Common causes:

• The presence of bile in the vomit
• Consuming foods high in orange food dyes
• Vomiting food that is not fully digested

When to seek medical attention: Limited or isolated occurrences of orange vomit typically do not require medical attention. However, if this symptom persists for more than a few days, you should speak with your healthcare provider.

Yellow vomit

Yellow vomit usually indicates the presence of bile and other digestive acids in the vomit.

Common causes:

• Vomiting on an empty stomach
• Vomiting associated with acid reflux or bile reflux

When to seek medical attention: As with orange vomit, yellow vomit likely does not need medical attention unless the symptoms persist for more than a few days or you are experiencing additional symptoms such as severe abdominal pain.

Green vomit

Green vomit can indicate more benign causes if it is closer to yellow in color, and more serious causes if it is closer to blue in color.

Common causes:

• Consider chemical poisoning if there is an underlying blue hue
• Vomit containing bile can also appear green.

When to seek medical attention: If the vomit appears closer to blue in color, possible poisoning should be considered and you should seek medical attention. This is out of an abundance of caution as green vomit is typically more benign and related to the presence of bile in the vomit.

Blue or blue-green vomit

Blue or blue-green vomit is both extremely rare and extremely dangerous.

Common causes:

• Copper sulfate poisoning
• Boric acid poisoning
• Paraquat poisoning

When to seek medical attention: Experiencing blue vomit is almost always caused by ingestion of or poisoning by a toxic chemical. If you experience blue vomit, this should be considered a medical emergency and you should consult a healthcare provider immediately.

Brown vomit

Brown vomit is typically a sign of digested blood and requires immediate medical attention.

Common causes:

• Gastrointestinal bleeding from peptic ulcer disease
• Gastritis or gastroenteritis
• Liver disease
• Infection
• Bile reflux

When to seek medical attention: It is important to rule out bleeding as a cause of brown vomit. If you ever experience vomit that is brown in color, you should consult your healthcare provider immediately.

Black vomit

As with brown vomit, black vomit indicates the presence of digested blood in the vomit and should be taken seriously.

Common causes:

• Gastrointestinal bleeding from peptic ulcer disease
• Certain medications such as iron supplements

When to seek medical attention: Unless you are taking medication such as an iron supplement known to cause a side effect of black vomit, this should always be a reason to consult your healthcare provider immediately.

Clear vomit

Clear or watery vomit is rarely a reason for concern and simply indicates that there are no stomach contents to expel and the vomit is made up of mostly liquid.

Common causes:

• Vomiting on an empty stomach
• Acid reflux
• Bile reflux

When to seek medical attention: If you believe your symptoms are related to acid reflux or bile reflux, you should consult your healthcare provider to discuss management strategies.

Read our full guide on when to see a doctor for vomiting for more.

Vomit color chart during pregnancy

Vomit color during pregnancy often comes from the same reasons and causes seen in individuals who are not pregnant.

However, any abnormal vomiting experienced during pregnancy should be treated promptly to avoid any harm to both the mother and the unborn baby.

Red vomit

Red vomit can be caused by food choices or by blood in the vomit. Pregnant individuals are more likely to experience bleeding of the gums which can lead to blood in the vomit.

Common causes:

• Stomach ulcers
• Bleeding vessels in the esophagus
• Trauma to the esophagus, stomach, nose, mouth, or teeth
• Consuming foods high in red food dye

When to seek medical attention: Red vomit or blood in the vomit should always be promptly evaluated when this symptom occurs in someone who is pregnant.

Orange vomit

Orange vomit indicates the presence of bile or undigested food.

Common causes:

• The presence of bile in the vomit
• Consuming foods high in orange food dyes
• Vomiting food that is not fully digested

When to seek medical attention: Limited or isolated occurrences of orange vomit typically do not require medical attention. However, if this symptom persists for more than a few days, you should speak with your healthcare provider.

Yellow vomit

Yellow vomit usually indicates the presence of bile and other digestive acids in the vomit. Due to hormonal changes, pregnant individuals can experience frequent nausea and vomiting and are more likely to vomit on an empty stomach.

Common causes:

• Vomiting on an empty stomach
• Vomiting associated with acid reflux or bile reflux

When to seek medical attention: As with orange vomit, yellow vomit likely has a fairly benign cause. However, pregnant individuals are more likely to become quickly dehydrated and should consult their healthcare provider if they are experiencing yellow vomit frequently and are unable to tolerate fluids for more than 12 hours.

Green vomit

Green vomit is often benign but may be an indicator of a more serious condition if there is an underlying blue hint to it.

Common causes:

• Consider chemical poisoning
• Vomit containing bile can also appear green

When to seek medical attention: Causes of green vomit in pregnancy are the same as those in individuals who are not pregnant. Possible chemical ingestion and poisoning should always be considered, and dietary consumption over the preceding 1-4 days should be discussed as well. If you are experiencing green vomit in pregnancy, you should consult your healthcare provider immediately to rule out the more serious causes of this symptom

Blue or blue-green vomit

Blue or blue-green vomit is both extremely rare and extremely dangerous.

Common causes:

• Copper sulfate poisoning
• Boric acid poisoning
• Paraquat poisoning

When to seek medical attention: Experiencing blue vomit is almost always caused by ingestion of or poisoning by a toxic chemical. If you experience blue vomit, this should be considered a medical emergency and you should consult a healthcare provider immediately.

Brown vomit

Brown vomit is typically a sign of digested blood and requires immediate medical attention. Recent studies have found an association between peptic ulcer disease caused by H. pylori and excessive vomiting in pregnant individuals.

Common causes:

• Gastrointestinal bleeding from peptic ulcer disease
• Gastritis or gastroenteritis
• Liver disease
• Infection
• Bile reflux

When to seek medical attention: It is important to rule out bleeding as a cause of brown vomit. If you ever experience vomit that is brown in color, you should consult your healthcare provider immediately.

Black vomit

As with brown vomit, black vomit indicates the presence of digested blood in the vomit and requires immediate medical attention.

Common causes:

• Gastrointestinal bleeding from peptic ulcer disease
• Certain medications such as iron supplements

When to seek medical attention: Unless you are taking medication such as an iron supplement known to cause a side effect of black vomit, this should always be a reason to consult your healthcare provider. It is common for pregnant individuals to take iron supplements so this should always be a consideration.

Clear vomit

Clear vomit is rarely a reason for concern and simply indicates that there are no stomach contents to expel and the vomit is made up of mostly liquid.

Common causes:

• Vomiting on an empty stomach
• Acid reflux
• Bile reflux

When to seek medical attention: If you believe your symptoms are related to acid reflux or bile reflux, you should consult your healthcare provider to discuss management strategies.

Vomit: the colorful conundrum

Understanding the color of vomit can provide valuable insights into potential health issues. While some colors are typically benign, others can signal serious conditions that require immediate medical attention.

Knowing when to seek help can lead to appropriate treatment and better health outcomes, particularly in cases where the underlying cause is more serious. Always consult a healthcare provider if you have concerns about vomiting, especially if you are experiencing this symptom and are pregnant.

General Medicine follows a strict editorial process, including using real experts to write our articles, vetted primary sources, fact-checking, a secondary medical review, and updates as necessary. This article was medically reviewed and fact checked by Dr. Lane Thaut, DO.

Sources

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Liu, Chuan et al. “Emerging Progress in Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy and Hyperemesis Gravidarum: Challenges and Opportunities.” Frontiers in medicine vol. 8 809270. 10 Jan. 2022, doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.809270 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8785858/

Shi, Xiaolan et al. “Bile Reflux Gastritis: Insights into Pathogenesis, Relevant Factors, Carcinomatous Risk, Diagnosis, and Management.” Gastroenterology research and practice vol. 2022 2642551. 12 Sep. 2022, doi:10.1155/2022/2642551 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9484982/

Upchurch, Bennie. “Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding (UGIB): Practice Essentials, Background, Etiology.” Medscape.com, 19 Oct. 2019, emedicine.medscape.com/article/187857-overview. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.