The Blue Poop Challenge – Learn about your Gut Health!

Nutrition Research Company ZOE has launched the #bluepoopchallenge to encourage people all over the world to learn more about their gut health, in which you eat blue food colouring to track how long it takes for food to travel through your gut. All you need are two blue muffins and it will reveal interesting things about what is happening  inside your guts!

What the Blue Poop Challenge Reveals about your Gut Health

• Your Gut Transit Time (The time it takes for food to travel through your gut).
• ZOE’s Research has shown that a shorter gut transit time is generally associated with better health.

How the Blue Poop Challenge Works

Firstly you must make blue muffins (see the recipe further down or use our Too Good to be True cake mix).

Then the best part: It’s time to eat. You must have two of the blue muffins for breakfast and record what time you consumed it. Then all you have to do is let nature do its thing and wait till you see blue – green poop in the toilet and note the time.

Whilst you wait for your blue bowel movement, you can eat whatever you want during the day, even if the colour is not blue.

Finally, go to the Zoe Website and enter the time you consumed your yummy blue muffins and then when you also pooped blue (or greenish-blue).  You will also be asked to answer a few other simple health questions and then based on all of that information, you will find out your  ‘poop personality’. This doesn’t just give you, your gut transit time but will also give you tips on what you can work on when it comes to your gut health.  

Recipe for Blue Muffins

Turn your kitchen blue and bake your own muffins at home. (Or if you aren’t great at baking you can use our Vanilla Too Good to be True Cake Mix). You can modify this recipe, just make sure you use enough blue food dye.

Plain, all purpose flour (245g)

Baking powder (1 Tbsp or 15g)

Granulated Sugar (200g)

Vegetable Oil (100g)

Water (230g)

Vanilla Extract (1 Tsp)

*PME Ocean Blue Food Dye (1 Tsp or 6g)

ENOUGH TO MAKE 12 (6 SERVINGS)

*This has been recommended by ZOE!

Step by Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 170C
2. Combine flour, baking powder and sugar in large bowl and stir to mix.
3. In a jug, combine sunflower oil, water and vanilla extract.
4. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the wet ingredients.
5. Add the blue food dye to the mixture.
6. Using a whisk, mix until the wet and dry ingredients are well combined and distributed evenly.
7. Pour or scoop the batter into each muffin case (the batter should make 12 muffins).
8. Bake for 24-26 minutes, or until skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the muffin.
9. Set aside to cool for 20 – 30 minutes. Eat two at breakfast.

The science behind the Blue Poop Challenge

ZOE’s team of world renowned scientists recently published a paper all about blue poop. They tracked the gut transit time of over a 1,000 people and the findings were published in their Gut journal 2021. They found that gut transit time lasted from between less than 12 hours a day and to several days, but the median time was 28.7 hours. They discovered that shorter gut transit times were generally linked with better health, having less belly fat and healthier responses to food.

Diet, hydration, and lifestyle, such as how much exercise you do and any medications you take, can affect how often you poop and how long it takes for food to move through your body. However, ZOE’s research revealed that gut transit time is also affected by microbiome (trillions of bugs living in your gut).  These trillions of microorganism including bacteria and fungi help to break down your food and make nutrients to keep your gut system healthy. This is why knowing how well your gut microbiome is working because it is important in understanding your overall health.

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? TAKE PART IN THE #BLUEPOOPCHALLENGE !

"The Blue Poop Challenge is a simple way to find out what is going on in your gut. All you need are a couple of blue muffins and a spirit of curiosity to take that first step." – Tim Spector, co – founder at ZOE.

Disclaimer: As the people behind Blue Poop Challenge point out, the information you get will not diagnose, prevent, or treat any condition. If you do have any concerns about your poop or digestive system, it's best to check in with your doctor.