The Obama administration issued "voluntary guidelines" Wednesday to food manufacturers, urging them to remove most of the salt from their products because Americans can't be expected to monitor their own sodium intake.

The guidelines set by the Food and Drug Administration are meant to reduce pre-salted products from reaching consumers and it will be implemented over the next decade in two phases. Within the first two years, the goal is to lower the daily average of 3,400 milligrams per day down to 3,000 mg. By the ten-year mark, the FDA hopes to have everyone's levels down to the recommended 2,300 mg per day.

Though most agree that those who have high blood pressure need to watch sodium levels, many experts disagree on how much salt is too much for the average person, and many warn that too little salt can actually lead to heart disease. But federal officials are convinced that America is too salt happy and point to "overwhelming" scientific evidence.

Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell had this to say in a statement released Wednesday:

Many Americans want to reduce sodium in their diets, but that’s hard to do when much of it is in everyday products we buy in stores and restaurants. Today’s announcement is about putting power back in the hands of consumers, so that they can better control how much salt is in the food they eat and improve their health.

The Obama administration's announcement came on the heels of a decision in New York City by Mayor Bill de Blasio to fine restaurant owners up to $600 for failing to add a salt icon next to high-sodium foods on menus.

It seems the American people can't be trusted to make their own food decisions, so the government is here to help us along.

Source: The Washington Post, Bloomberg