Of course, no one can ultimately figure out - except yourself - why anyone opts for becoming a vegan. Perhaps it is because it provides a new religious status. Perhaps the individual feels deeply about the ethical rights of animals. There are vegetarians so committed to their view that they will only eat in vegetarian restaurants.

The benefits to adopting a purely vegetarian diet are so many and so varied that no matter how and where you decide to start you are bound to profit from it in some way.

The human body needs foods in their raw state. Vegetables, especially salads, and fruits (any fruit) should be consumed daily and regularly. If your current diet includes high fat, high sugar food then it really makes no difference whether you go for a vegetarian or meat diet. You basic day-to-diet should be healthy to begin with for anything else to make a difference.

A normal vegetarian diet meets and normally exceeds the amount of vitamins and minerals the body needs on a daily basis.

There are many types of vegetarianism, pick the one that suits you best:

Vegan: Diet includes only plants, fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, seeds, and nuts.

Lactovegan: Can also consume cheese, milk, yogurt and other dairy products.

Lacto-ovovegan: Can also eat eggs.

Semi-vegans: Consumes chicken and fish but no red meat.

You don't have to become a vegetarian in one day. Go low, take it easy. People who give up abruptly run the highest risk of a relapse.

When eating vegetables, avoid cream, sauce, and syrups. The more natural the state, the more the benefit.

Try different types of menus with your new found vegetarians. If you feel discomfort without your meats then let the variety of the vegetable kingdom make up for it. There are close to 2,900 types of different plants that are available for you to be a part of your menu, use them.

Also try and locate a farmer's market close to you. These markets are a good place to purchase your vegetables. It is only in a farmer's market that you can find the freshest of vegetables that have been picked on that very day.