A new study finds that lutein, a compound that gives egg yolk and some plants their color, can reduce chronic inflammation in patients with coronary artery disease, the most common type of heart disease.

Coronary artery disease develops because a process called atherosclerosis builds up fatty deposits, or plaque, in the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the heart. This results in narrowing arteries that can partially or totally block the flow of blood.

Over time, as the plaque builds up and the arteries become narrower, the heart muscle does not get enough blood. This can cause angina, which is a condition felt as pain or discomfort in the chest and the most common symptom of coronary artery disease.