Many of us pass urine without thinking – or looking – at the colour of it . But perhaps it ’ s time to take note , because our pee can say a lot about our health , according to one doctor . Speaking on ITV ’ s This Morning , Dr Chris Steele explained what each shade of pee – from clear to red to green and blue – tells us about the body . He lined up test tubes of a range of colours of urine , from clear through to dark yellow , to red and blue . His first piece of advice is to look at the colour of urine while peeing , rather than when it has hit the toilet bowl . Scroll down for video . Dr Chris Steele , a GP and resident doctor on ITV 's This Morning , said people should look at the colour of their urine while they are peeing , not when the urine has hit the bowl and is diluted in water . Red and dark red urine ( pictured ) could be caused by certain foods like beetroot or drugs like laxatives . However , it could be due to blood in the urine , signalling an infection , or tumours or kidney stones . He told presenters Phillip Schofield and Amanda Holden : 'You should look at the colour in the stream that you ’ re passing , not when it ’ s in the toilet bowl , because it gets diluted in two litres of water. ’ When asked if this would be a bit difficult for women , he replied : ‘ You can even catch it if you ’ re worried. ’ And when thinking about the colour of our pee , it 's important to remember how food , drink and medication could be affecting it , he added . He said : ‘ Laxatives can cause a darkening colour of the urine . Always think about what you ’ re putting in your mouth , could that be affecting things ? ’ An example of this is asparagus and food colourants that can turn the urine blue or green . Meanwhile , urine that is frothy and foamy could be a warning sign someone is eating too much protein and needs to cut back , he said . ‘ It could be due to protein . Maybe you ’ re on a high protein diet . Or it could be due to infection . ' Next , he explained what each shade of pee means , in terms of health . Clear urine could be a sign of a ‘ good hydrated person ’ , Dr Steele said . However , it could be because they are taking diuretic medicine which is making them pass water frequently . The diagram , created by the Cleveland Clinic , Ohio , shows that urine should be straw coloured or pale yellow . If it is darker , it suggests the person is dehydrated . He added : ‘ They might be drinking diuretic-type drinks , such as coffee and alcohol . They can cause this effect. ’ He explained that the kidneys have two main functions : the first being to filter out toxins , create waste matter , and get it out of the body . The second is to balance fluid in the body ; the fluid gained from drinks and metabolic reactions in the body , and the fluids lost through sweat . A deep yellow coloured urine means the person is more dehydrated . He said : ‘ In the morning you might notice your urine is darker coloured than in the evening . 'This is because in the night you ’ ve just been laying there doing nothing and your kidneys have been working concentrating the toxic effects . If a person 's urine is brown , it could be a sign of liver disease . If it is red , it could contain blood . Orange urine is normally a sign of dehydration , but could be a liver or bile duct disorder . Blue or green urine is normally due to food dye or medication . ‘ Deep yellow urine could be a sign of liver problems which cause jaundice of the skin , eyes , and the urine to become more yellow. ’ But the most important colour to look out for is a pink or light red colour . If a person has red-coloured urine , it could be because they ate certain foods the night before . Dr Steele said : ‘ Beetroot , blackberries , blackcurrants even rhubarb [ are all common culprits ] . Food colourants are powerful and can get through the kidneys. ’ However , it could be a more serious sign of infection from the kidney travelling down through the bladder and urethra . It could also be due to a tumour , or kidney stones . ‘ But the commonest reasons for red urine is cystitis - or urinary tract infections , ’ Dr Steele said . ‘ This causes excess blood to come out into the urine. ’ A person with dark red urine is deeply dehydrated , he warned . ‘ We ’ re talking about patients with liver disease , ' he explained . Foaming or fizzing urine is usually a sign of too much protein in the diet , or a kidney problem .
GP Dr Chris Steele advises people to check the colour of their urine . Check the colour mid-stream , rather than when the pee has hit the bowl . Clear urine means a person is hydrated - or has had too much coffee . Darker urine could be a sign of jaundice caused by liver disease . Red pee may be due to food dye , or a sign of an infection like cystitis . Dark red pee could signal blood , signalling a tumour or kidney stones .