🟡 PBT Monthly | June 2026

Welcome back!

It’s June and the air is thick and you’ve been wearing the weather. PBT is here to make that feel slightly more dignified with a cold drink in hand and a lot to talk about.

If your aunt is looking surprisingly slim at this summer’s BBQ, PBT has one question: is it the greens, or is it the GLP-1s? This month we’re getting into it: the Ozempic personality, face, and palate. Plus a recipe that’s somehow both a snack and a meal, news that Big Tobacco has been creating corporate charcuterie boards for children, and a few things happening in the world worth knowing about.

Let’s go.

By now you’ve heard of Ozempic. You’ve probably heard of Ozempic face. You may have heard of Ozempic butt. And now there’s “Ozempic brain,” which is the immediate side effect where you just aren’t that hungry anymore. Convenient. Except the drug doesn’t stop there.

“Meh” Personality

Some GLP-1 users are reporting more than just reduced appetite.

• GLP-1s may cure your obsession with pasta. Unfortunately, they may also cure your obsession with joy, hobbies, and your spouse.

• The clinical term is anhedonia. The internet term is “Ozempic personality.” Neither is a diagnosis, and researchers are careful to note it’s not universal. The full picture is still emerging.

Ozempic Face

You could possibly end up looking like a Tim Burton character.

• The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery reported that fat-grafting procedures rose 50% in 2024, with surgeons directly attributing the spike to the hollowed, sagging facial volume that can follow rapid GLP-1-driven weight loss.

• Doctors note that pairing regular exercise with GLP-1 use significantly reduces the risk of facial volume loss. So, there’s that.

Ozempic Taste

Are those notes of copper and melancholy you’re picking up?

• GLP-1 drugs appear to change how food tastes. Many users report foods tasting sweeter or saltier than before, with sudden aversions to previously loved flavors.

• A striking data point for PBT readers: plant-based meat and dairy alternatives saw the lowest consumption decline among GLP-1 users, compared to processed foods, beef, and sugary sodas, which dropped significantly.

PBT went deep on GLP-1s across two posts. Both are worth it.

Edible Cookie Dough.

• PBT’s chickpea cookie dough recipe is exactly what it sounds like: a fully edible, plant-based cookie dough situation that takes about 10 minutes to make and requires no baking.

The secret ingredient is chickpeas, which do a surprisingly convincing impression of dough when they’re not busy being hummus.

Here's what you're missing →

• Mixing And Matching: The same people who engineered cigarette addiction also engineered Lunchables, a new review in the American Journal of Public Health connects the dots. Read it.

• Marketing Meat Myths: A peer-reviewed paper from the University of Kent on how food marketing animalizes women and feminizes vegan men. Read the paper.

• Dietary Dilemma: Fitt Insider’s report on where the U.S. food system goes from here: consolidation, consumer trust, and why “healthy” is becoming the default. Read the report.

• 6 Degrees Of Kevin Bean: See how swapping in beans can make a big difference for animals. Watch.

• Feel That Feeling: A mushroom farm doing its thing. View.

• Something To Chew On: A whole-food, plant-based educational resource for people who want the evidence without the noise. It’s worth bookmarking. Explore.

• Potluck Palooza | Multiple US Locations | June 1 – July 30: The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is running a nationwide series of community plant-based potlucks through the end of July. Casual, no-frills, show-up-and-eat energy. Events are happening across the US, with a few international stops too. Find your nearest event.

• Veganic Skills Share | Tree of Life Veganics x Vegan Organic Network | UK: The first-ever Veganic Skills Share is coming to Tree of Life Veganics, an off-grid farm in Kent. Camping, guided farm tours, foraging, yoga, talks, and workshops on growing food without any animal inputs. Get tickets.

• Tiny Hooves Sanctuary Events: Tiny Hooves Sanctuary, an animal rescue, has ongoing events worth keeping an eye on. From their summer programming to community fundraisers, it’s the kind of organization that makes you feel like things might be okay. See what’s coming up.

Credit: @veganhashtag.bsky.social

Summer heat has arrived… step outside, stare into the sun, and reconsider the decision that led you to live somewhere without central air.

Thanks for reading. If this one made you think about something differently, or if the cookie dough recipe makes an appearance at a summer gathering, PBT considers that a win.

See you in July.

Missed May PBT Monthly? Catch up on everything that happened last month before the summer haze takes over completely.

Catch up here →

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All recipes, tips, and guides are for educational purposes only. Your mileage may vary, and you’re in charge of adapting for allergies, preferences, and lifestyle. Think of this as friendly guidance from the Plant-Based Times reference desk.