# Is human flesh actually green? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 22, 2009, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488 "2009-11-22T01:43:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/1 "2009-11-22T01:43:16Z")
This is going to sound weird. And it is. A long time ago, in a place a miles away, a pretty girl told me that humans (and indeed most meat) is actually naturally green. Our blood is red, obviously, but if you took a chunk from someone it would be green, then change to red over time or with treatment. I thought she was wrong. Then I read Stephen King’s _On Writing_ a few years ago, and he mentioned his mother describing a jumper to him, and referred to the colour green. I saw a picture of a snake bite the other day, and the deepest part of the wound was a greenish colour. Had the previous two incidences not occurred, I would have written it off as infection. So, what is the Straightdope? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/2 "2009-11-22T01:55:10Z")
I’ve seen my share of bodies and pieces of bodies. The meat from a human is not green. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/3 "2009-11-22T02:00:19Z")
I too have seen my share (working in histotechnology lab) - no green except for maybe parts of the liver (the bile, you know). Body parts do actually look really cool, though (except the pails of breast tissue removed from old ladies). ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/4 "2009-11-22T02:10:09Z")
Red and white when opened up by a sudden trauma. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/5 "2009-11-22T02:12:50Z")
It depends on the cooking method. (Pass me some Soylent, would you?) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/6 "2009-11-22T02:40:02Z")
Soylent green is _soy and lentils!_ :eek: ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/7 "2009-11-22T03:04:17Z")
I do not like Green eggs and man I do not like them in the pan I do not want it from the embalmer I do not want it, Jeffrey Dahmer. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/8 "2009-11-22T03:05:37Z")
It will turn green eventually, but so will chicken and beef and everything else if it goes rotten in the right way. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/9 "2009-11-22T03:22:18Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > I do not like Green eggs and man > I do not like them in the pan > I do not want it from the embalmer > I do not want it, Jeffrey Dahmer. (Standing and clapping) Bra-VOH!!😃 ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/10 "2009-11-22T03:32:35Z")
[“They’re made out of meat.”](http://www.terrybisson.com/page6/page6.html) “Meat?” “Meat. They’re made out of meat.” “Meat?” “Yes, thinking meat! Conscious meat! Loving meat. Dreaming meat. The meat is the whole deal! Are you beginning to get the picture or do I have to start all over?” “[Omigod. You’re serious then. They’re made out of meat.](http://www.atom.com/funny_videos/made_meat/)” CMC fnord! > [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > It depends on the cooking method. … I’m so glad I’m not the only cannibal on the board. 😃 Anything still stuck in there? ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/11 "2009-11-22T03:38:49Z")
Huh. Seems to be complete agreement on this on. Must be just us Irish. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/12 "2009-11-22T03:43:21Z")
Yes, but in the daylight it looks various shades of tan because humans sparkle. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/13 "2009-11-22T03:50:57Z")
I have seen quite a few Dead People and there’s no green. Turtle meat is a little green, however. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/14 "2009-11-22T03:51:36Z")
if the wound is infected and angry, it might turn green, gain some mass in the process and starts smashing things. that would be a good time to run. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/15 "2009-11-22T04:06:27Z")
\*\*Sweeney Todd: \*\*\*Is that squire, On the fire? \*\*\*Mrs Lovett: \*\*\*Mercy no, sir, Look closer, You’ll notice it’s grocer! \*\*\*Sweeney Todd: \*\*\*Looks thicker, More like vicar! \*\*\*Mrs Lovett: \*\*_No, it has to be grocer – It’s green!_ ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/16 "2009-11-22T04:26:49Z")
If you removed all the elements that made it red, it would no longer be red, and instead would be… probably greenish. The tonal range of flesh and skin is slightly greenish reds. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/17 "2009-11-22T05:25:54Z")
I went on a carnival ride once. Got really sick and lost everthing in my stomachand shortly felt fine. As I was walking around, I noticed people looking at me oddly. Finally, about 5 minutes later a total stranger stops me and says “Dude, you are GREEN!”. Now if a total stranger tells you something like that its gotta be bad. Well, I hit the nearest bathroom and sure enough, my face looked quite green. I guess it was from being flush from being sick. I certainly now understand where the phrase “green behind/in? the gills” came from. ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/18 "2009-11-22T05:43:14Z")
When bodies decay they turn greenish. I just watched WWII in Color HD on History and there’s a fair amount of brownish and greenish corpses. At least in parts. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/19 "2009-11-22T07:02:17Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > If you removed all the elements that made it red, it would no longer be red, and instead would be… probably greenish. The tonal range of flesh and skin is slightly greenish reds. I imagine it would look like some of the [truely white fish](http://www.inghamroadseafood.com.au/products/large/Red-Emperor.jpg), which is white but does have a slight grey/green tint. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488/20 "2009-11-22T08:49:54Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I certainly now understand where the phrase “green behind/in? the gills” came from. I think the expression is “green around the gills” or “green about the gills” . . . not that either makes any sense. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-flesh-actually-green/518488.md?page=2)