Various types of potatoes. A staple food, or simply a staple, is a food that is eaten routinely and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a standard diet for a given people, supplying a large fraction of energy needs and generally forming a significant proportion of the intake of other nutrients as well.
Constipation is defined medically as fewer than three stools per week and severe constipation as less than one stool per week. Constipation usually is caused by the slow movement of stool through the colon.
A reduction in bile salts due to liver disease, gall stones, and other conditions causes the stool to be pale. Dark stool can be due to dark foods, medications, or supplements, or may be due to digestive tract bleeding, which can result in red, maroon, or even black, tarry stool.