Yes, it's because he isn't able to absorb most of what's passing through there (which is also why his body keeps telling him to eat, eat, eat. It's full but it's not nourished.) But taking away all food is psychologically and socially difficult, so we're okay with the idea of letting him continue to eat food while he's getting the formula nutrients as well, even if he's not getting much out of it.
The hypoallergenic nature of the formula is a separate concept from the nutritional side--having everything broken down is good for absorption, but it's also what you need if you're having allergic reactions to every food that passes through there. The allergies were our primary concern the first go-round, though the nutrient absorption was obviously a bonus. But since his food reactions have been holding steady (not great, but steady,) it's okay if he keeps eating food, and if the formula has, for example, sugar and grape flavoring added to it.
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