Cancer: The seemingly ‘healthy’ beverage increasing your risk for all types of cancer

“The main drive of the association seems to be sugar, so when we just look at the sugar content per 100ml, regular Coke of 100 percent orange juice, for instance, are quite the same. So it’s not that we observe this association for fruit juices.”

Public health agencies say that fruit juices remain a healthier alternative to fizzy drinks because they contain some fibre and vitamins, explained Touvier.

The researchers suggested the link could be down to some biological factors, such as the effect of sugar on visceral fat that encases vital organs, or blood sugar levels, both of which are linked to increased cancer risk.

According to figures released by the Global Burden of Disease, the consumption of sugary drinks has increased by more than 40 percent from 1990 to 2016.