It does not just gives a great taste but also have benefits in digestion, heart health and weight loss.

But now it has been found bananas can help prevent heart attacks and strokes, according to a study.

The scientists found that potassium in the fruit combats the hardening and narrowing of arteries. Other good sources of potassium include parsnips, seeds, fish and poultry.

The researchers discovered the effects after analysing mice who were at risk of heart disease.

The mice were then fed either low, normal or high levels of potassium with the results showing that the arteries of mice fed a low-potassium diet became significantly harder.

In contrast, the animals given high potassium had substantially less artery hardening and reduced stiffness in their aorta.

As such, the vital mineral is thought to help prevent heart attacks and strokes in humans. However eating too much can cause stomach ache, nausea and diarrhoea.

Dr Mike Knapton, from the British Heart Foundation, said, “The study in mice showed that not eating enough potassium leads to the hardening of arteries.”

Official NHS advice is to consume 3,500mg of potassium each day, a quarter of which could be met by eating two bananas.

Other foods rich in the mineral include potatoes, broccoli, sprouts, seeds, fish and poultry.