Before scooting us out the door in the morning, my Mama would give us a banana. Bananas are portable, sweet, inexpensive and easy to take with you from the UAF cafeteria. Athletes are partial to the yellow fruit for its natural sugars and nutrients offer enough energy to sustain a rigorous workout.

High in fiber, nutrients and natural sugar, bananas are an alternative to the vending machine. Choosing a banana over chocolate also may help ease depression. Recent studies indicate that Bananas contain trytophan, an amino acid that is converted to serotonin, a chemical that is known to help you relax and beat depression.