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 .