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.
Stools that are black and tarry in texture are often caused by bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, or small intestine). Bleeding from the rectum and red or maroon-colored stools often originate from bleeding in the lower gastrointestinal tract (colon, rectum or anus).