Though an apple a day may keep the doctor away, bananas seem to be America’s most beneficial fresh fruit.

One banana is loaded with far more vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber than an apple. Bananas have two times as many carbohydrates, three times as much phosphorus and five times as much Vitamin A and iron as apples do, according to livestrong.com.

Bananas are good for your heart and nerves:
One key to maintaining a healthy heart is consuming potassium on a regular basis. One large banana can contain as much as 3,500 mg of potassium, or 14 percent of the recommended daily amount, according to livestrong.com. The American Heart Association names potassium as an essential ingredient to keep the cardiovascular and nervous system in good shape. Because it’s vital for proper muscle contraction, potassium plays an important role in muscle-influenced activities like the normal rhythmic pumping of the heart, digestion and muscular movements.

Bananas help your kidneys and bones:
The high potassium content of bananas also helps the kidneys and bones. A normal intake of potassium minimizes the risk of kidney stones later in life, according to the University of Maryland’s Medical Center. It also minimizes the risk of bone-threatening diseases like osteoporosis.

Bananas make you happy:

The average banana contains 10 mg of tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the body produce serotonin. Serotonin has a calming effect on the brain and acts as a mild sedative, according to NIH MedlinePlus. It alleviates mental depression. Our diet is the only way our body gets its dose of tryptophan, because the human body doesn’t produce it naturally.

Bananas are rich in fiber:
Diets rich in fiber improve digestion and have been linked to a lower risk of coronary heart disease and Type Two Diabetes. Adults should consume 20 to 35 grams of dietary fiber per day, according to The Harvard School of Public Health. Children over two years old should consume a daily amount equal to or greater than their age plus five grams. Yet, the average American eats only 14 to15 grams of dietary fiber a day. One banana, though, contains 16 percent of the recommended dietary fiber intake for a normal adult.

So it looks like our monkey relatives have been right all along. Start going bananas for bananas.