Photo: www.nxtnutritionals.com

A flatter tummy and healthier gut is hitting store shelves soon, according to makers of a new sweetener. Enclosed in a 50-packet box, SUSTA has nothing to do with the senior tennis circuit, it's a natural sweetener rolling out on the East Coast. Looks like this one is a bit different from the colorful yellow, blue, pink, brown and green packets standing ready to sweeten your coffee, tea, cereal or other foods.

At five calories per serving, SUSTA's nutritional profile features inulin, fructose and probiotics, including vitamin C, B vitamins and other key nutrients. The inulin (prebiotics/soluble fiber) and added probiotics can allegedly shore up your digestive and immune systems, while its low-glycemic quality means no sugary, blood sugar-raising high.

In comparison to available artificial and natural (stevia) sweeteners on the market, SUSTA has one dietitian intrigued. "I feel like this is a pretty different product, and in comparison, a pretty darn good one," says dietitian and ADA spokesperson, Dawn Jackson Blatner. Before speaking with That's Fit, she'd never heard of SUSTA -- now she has sent away for samples. Blatner explained SUSTA's bitter melon, cinnamon and chromium have blood sugar-reducing effects, and pairing inulin with probiotics is positive synergy for the digestive system. "Low sugar, plus fiber, plus these extracts equals potentially good blood sugar control in a non-artificial sort of way," explained Blatner. We're intrigued too, but until we see more studies (and taste it!), we'll stick to natural sugars in moderation.

If this therapeutic sweetener tastes as good as it sounds, artificial avoiders may be reaching for SUSTA over the all-natural sweetener, stevia.