“Water with benefits” is one of the terms Nick Nowaczyk, herbalist and owner of Urbal Tea, uses to describe his flavorful herbal tea blends (also known as tisanes) full of vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. The name Urbal Tea combines “herbal” and “urban,” which encompasses Nowaczyk’s mantra of bridging the gap between urban society and herbal health.
While growing up, Nowaczyk’s family had a cabin up north, where he picked wild berries and mushrooms. As an adult, he studied under an herbalist in Madison and earned certification as a master herbalist. Experimentations with different herbal combinations led to him packaging herbal tea blends to give to friends and family. He eventually started selling the teas at farmers markets and in January 2014, he was able to quit his job to pursue Urbal Tea full time.
Urbal Tea blends are not made with tealeaves, but instead with dried herbs such as dandelion root, peppermint, ginkgo and others—almost all grown in the United States. All but two teas are caffeine free, and they’re sold loose, not in tea bags. Nowaczyk said loose tea provides stronger flavors and that herbs aren’t sensitive like the tea plant, so they don’t get bitter or burn if steeped too long.
The three herbal tea lines are Wellness Blends, Herbal Selects and Apothecary. The Wellness Blends offer 10 varieties formulated to provide specific health benefits. The After Dinner blend is aimed to help with digestion, calm the body and break down food. The Brain Booster, with rosemary and sage, is designed to help with memory and focus. While Nowaczyk makes no medical claims, he cites research that shows rosemary and sage can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
The eight Herbal Selects blends can be enjoyed on a daily basis and contain antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Herbal Selects are also safe for kids to drink, Nowaczyk said. Flavors in that line include Peach Rooibos and Simply Lemon.
The Apothecary line of tea has blends specifically designed to aid certain conditions. The Skin Deep blend is meant to help with skin conditions. The yoga blend—Free Flex—helps with flexibility.
Nowaczyk said they have new blends in the works, such as Fresh Start to help with recovery after a night on the town. He hopes to connect with urban farmers, specifically people who have small garden plots in the city, to obtain quality herbs grown locally.
Nowaczyk suggests that the herbal teas can be enjoyed hot or over ice. They’re available in glass jars and paper packages that average around three ounces per bag. He also offers starter sample packs, which include three single-serve bags designed for people who are new to loose teas so they can try them first. Nowaczyk strives to keep Urbal Tea affordable so people can enjoy them every day; most varieties average less than $5 per ounce. Urbal Tea is available at Sendik’s Food Market, Good Harvest Market, Health Hut’s Brookfield location, Beans & Barley, South Shore Farmers Market, special events and health fairs.
For more information, visit urbalhealth.com.
