[asiachick]

For me, soda scratches my throat in a good way (like having an itch scratched). In way that my life would be worse without. I like tea and water and milk too but there are times I need the scratchiness of the carbonation that non-carbonated drinks don't provide.

As an example, if I have a mild sore throat, carbonated drinks sooth it much more than non.

[josefresco]

Thanks for sharing this anecdote. I've had this same "throat feeling" observation for years (thought I was just weird). I used to drink Coke semi-regularly, and would prefer it over water when I had a sore throat both because of the "scratchiness" but also because it would coat my throat whereas water would "strip" my throat of mucus/saliva.