A further reason to those mentioned previously is that several sources have claimed tomato juice can prevent you from getting DVT (deep vein thrombosis).
According to, for example, the Daily Mail:
Eating tomatoes can help prevent airline passengers developing deep vein thrombosis, British scientists have proved.
The research has shown, however, that tomatoes contain a unique chemical which similarly thins blood[...]
So it's likely that it may not just be the taste, but people doing it for a safety reason.
