Kidney, liver and other organ meats might not be the first things you crave when you think of festive food this season. But innards are delicacies with a history of being eaten over Chinese New Year. In line with the Chinese tradition of consuming all parts of the animal, the cuts are skillfully prepared in soups, noodles and rice dishes.

Each animal has just a limited amount of offal so it has traditionally been a prized treat. Fatty goose liver (foie gras) is a well-known specialty. But all kinds of liver (from the pig, chicken, duck and cow) have also been well-loved throughout history. Indeed, the mythical dragon’s liver is one of the eight delicacies listed in the Li-Chi (a Han dynasty ritual handbook).

Today, perhaps the most common way offal is consumed over the festive season, is in Chinese duck liver sausage (yun cheong). During this period, dry ingredient shops all over Chinatown can be seen carrying a range of waxed meats–including waxed duck (lap ngap), waxed pork belly (lap yok), Chinese pork sausage (lap cheong) and of course, duck liver sausage.

The deeply-colored sausage is an essential ingredient in Chinese New Year staples like Cantonese rice with waxed meats (lap mei fun). They are symbolic of wealth because in days past, they were much more expensive than ordinary meats. Duck liver sausage is especially favored as it is rarer and often costs more than pork sausages. The valuable delicacy is also popular as a Chinese New Year gift.

For Teochew people, kidney and liver mee suah is a particular festive specialty. Mee suah noodles are regarded as a symbol of longevity, making them a must-have at celebrations. The addition of expensive kidney and liver make the meal extra special. These top-drawer offal are also eaten in steamboat, a customary reunion dinner meal. Goods like liver, kidney and stomach contribute great flavor to the soup.

Certainly, adding organ meat to soups is a time-honored holiday tradition. Another established practice is to eat pig stomach soup (too thor th’ng) over the festive season as the dish is representative of filial piety.

Yet, even with its history and symbolism, innards have fallen out of favor with some younger Singaporeans due to health concerns and the less-appealing thought of eating innards. “I love having my grandmother’s liver soup on festive occasions, but I try not to eat it as it is high in cholesterol,” says 23-year-old, Natalie Chiang. Organ meats’ appearance is another deterrent to diners. Victoria Woon, 24, says, “The thought of eating offal grosses me out, it just looks unappealing.”

But those who aren’t yet convinced to tuck into innards this season may want to chew on this: the health benefits of organ meats’ are a big factor in making it a delicacy. Liver is a good source of vitamins (especially vitamin A), iron and protein. In Chinese medicine, eating the organ of an animal treats the corresponding organ in one’s body. So, kidney and liver are consumed for increased energy and to treat fatigue. Even the squeamish might try a dose of offal this season to nourish the body and prepare to tackle the year ahead.