Bananas are a good source of both potassium and vitamin B6. They not only help to maintain bowel health, but are also good energy-boosting snacks. As bananas ripen, their starch is converted into sugar. Bananas help to maintain blood sugar levels and it is also a fruit which is easily digested.

Here's another reason to eat bananas: too little vitamin B6 in the diet can hamper our immune systems by depressing the white blood cells' ability to mature. This could make you more prone to infections like colds and flu.

Bananas can be eaten daily, within limits. A banana weighing 100g contains about 384 kilojoules, and a big banana counts as two fruit portions.

Chronic stress takes its toll on our vitamin B6 stores. So, eat more bananas when you're stressed.

And eat your bananas ripe - the ripe fruit contain more nutrients.

Fresh, ripe bananas are a very good source of fruit sugars and can give a quick energy boost.

Calories	62
Potassium	270 mg
Vitamin B6	0.19 mg
Vitamin C	7 mg
Niacin	0.5 g
Per 100g ready-to-eat, weighed with the skin