Salads don't need fat, sodium

The least visible ingredient gives summer salads the most flavor.

It's the dressing.

And because it's a health strategy to eat more salad more often, it's worth giving salad dressings more of your attention. Learn to make your own to save money and improve the flavor and nutritional value of your meals.

Think about what you put on your salads.

Prepared salad dressings that you buy at the store are made to keep on the shelf for months and in your refrigerator for nearly as long. Sodium is one of the primary preservatives used to give these products their staying power.

You don't need it.

Most of us should radically reduce our sodium intakes to protect our health. Just two tablespoons of many commercial salad dressings contain as much as 500 milligrams of sodium - about one-third of the maximum you should consume each day.

Save money, too

Rich dressings made with cream or sour cream and fatty cheeses such as Parmesan, feta, Roquefort and bleu cheese add artery-clogging saturated fat. By making dressings from scratch, you have more control over the ingredients and can limit the ingredients.

And depending on how you make your dressings, they can cost a fraction of what you pay for commercial brands. The basic ingredients - vinegar and oil, for example - are relatively inexpensive.

Dressings made fresh in small batches also taste better than dressings made six months ago. They can be customized, too, to take advantage of fresh herbs and other ingredients in your garden.

Simpler is better

Start with a simple vinegar and oil base and go from there. Olive oil is the best all-around vegetable oil to use for this purpose. Mix your dressings shortly before you need them, though, because olive oil can harden into a waxy mass if you store it in the refrigerator for more than a few hours.

For variety, buy small bottles of flavored olive oil, such as blood orange or tarragon. Walnut oil is another healthful oil to try, and it gives salads a uniquely delicious flavor.

Experiment with a blend of oil and vinegar to find the proportions you like. Start with equal parts of each and go from there. Take notes as you create dressings so you'll remember the ingredients when you hit on a favorite mix.

Vinegar comes in different varieties, too. I like white or red balsamic vinegar as well as rice vinegar and plain, old-fashioned cider vinegar.

Creamy without fat

For a creamy dressing, try a base of nonfat, plain yogurt. You can blend it to make a sweet or savory dressing, depending on your preference.

For example, thin yogurt to the desired consistency with a little orange juice and a teaspoon or two of honey for a sweet dressing. Add poppy seeds for color and crunch. You can also thin yogurt with nonfat milk. Add a teaspoon or two of mustard or minced onions to punch up the flavor.

Add chopped, fresh herbs from your garden. Chives and rosemary grow in North Carolina year-round.