I soak the beans overnight, rinse them well and then drain. Rinse at least 3 times a day & drain off all water. After just three days , usually they are starting to sprout. A sprout doen't have to be a certain length. When a bean sprouts it has already "come alive" and is better for you. A dry bean is just that! Then we peel them and rinse well again....steam them 6 minutes/ rinse with cold water and freeze them. (Ready to use when needed.) My friend usually just eats two at a time for an l-dopa boost. The favas come in a large variety of sizes , there are over 20 variety and some are very small...the one we are currently using from the health food store....??variety and they are fairly large.Two is plenty. With small ones..you might want to eat three at a time.