COLUMBIA, S.C. — Eggs are whipped, onions are chopped and the collards are being prepared for what might look like thanksgiving dinner. 

 “Food can actually make diseases go in the other direction, if you eat right,” said Howard Warren.

Warren is the Executive Chef at Kroger in the northeast part of Richland county.  He along with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) are helping shoppers, searching the aisles for healthy foods to make better decisions when preparing their meals.

 “South Carolina is a very high population as it relates to people with diabetes and people who have had amputations as a result of diabetes,” Tammie Young Ennaemba said. 

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Ennaemba is the corporate affairs manager for the Atlanta division at Kroger and is hoping events like today’s will encourage shoppers to buy, plan and eat healthier meals for the holidays.

 “We really wanted to just target communities, or focus in on communities and provide the service, where it could be more beneficial and touch the most people,” she said. 

Collard greens, sweet potato casserole, and turkey were all prepared without extra’s like salt and fat. In line with the recommendations from the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

“Feeding the human spirit is not just about about making sure they can come into our stores and shop but its about looking at ways that they can stay healthy,” Ennaemba explained. 

 Statistics from the ADA show approximately  531,143 people in South Carolina about 13.2%  of the adult population, have diagnosed diabetes.  An additional 123,000 people have diabetes but do not know.

“We provide materials for them to understand the statistics around diabetes as well as, what I said earlier, how they can prepare and cook foods healthy,” Ennaemba said..

All recipes recommended by the ADA for high-risk or those diagnosed with diabetes can be found in their cookbook.