If you want a quick fix for flagging energy levels there's no better snack than a banana.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose - combined with fibre, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proved that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome and prevent a number of illnesses and conditions - making it a must to add to your daily diet.

ANAEMIA - High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anaemia.

BLOOD PRESSURE - This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect food for helping to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruits ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

BRAIN POWER - 200 students at a Middlesex school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

CONSTIPATION - High in fibre, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problems without resorting to laxatives.

Depression - According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND among people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas provide trypotophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin - known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

HANGOVERS - one of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels while the milk soothes and rehydrates the system.

HEARTBURN - Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, and provide soothing relief when eaten.

MORNING SICKNESS - Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid nausea.

MOSQUITO BITES - Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

NERVES - Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system

OVERWEIGHT AND AT WORK? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort foods like chocolate and crisps.

Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found that the most obese were likely to be in high-pressure jobs.

This report concluded that to avoid panic induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods, such as bananas, every two hours to keep levels steady.

PMS - Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

ULCERS - The banana is used as a dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without stress in over chronic ulcer cases. It also neutralises over acidity and reduces irritation by coating the inner lining of the stomach.

SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER - Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain a natural mood enhancer, trypotophan.

SMOKING - Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking, as the high levels of vitamin C, A1, B6 and B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.